Half-Demon of Notre Dame
by amaayasha
Summary: One soldier is called back home from the wars. Two Romani dance in the streets for coins. One judge is obsessed with finding the Court of Miracles and having a Romani all to himself. One half-demon just wants to go outside of the cathedral. What do they all have in common? Based on the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Written for Inuvember 2k15
1. Topsy Turvy

**NOTE: USE OF DERAGATORY LANGUAGE _I_ WOULD NEVER USE AND ATTEMPTED NON-CON THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN.**

 **WRITTEN FOR INUVEMBER 2K15**

###

Kikyo already wasn't having a good day to begin with.

With the entire fiasco earlier in which soldiers of Judge Naraku Onigumo tried to take her and Inuyasha's hard-earned money, and that female soldier giving it all back, Kikyo was hoping to be able to relax before the festival. Being grabbed by said-judge was _not_ part of her plan.

"What do you want?" Kikyo growled, fruitlessly trying to escape his grip. Why on earth was his grip so _tight?_ Though his eyes were a strange red color, that stop him from being completely human! She had escaped from Inuyasha's grip multiple times, so what made Naraku's hard to escape?

 _Unless…_ Kikyo's train of thought disappeared when Naraku leaned over to hiss into her ear, and she suppressed a shudder.

"I want you to tell me where the Court of Miracles is," Naraku growled. "Tell me, and I _might_ let you live."

"If you honestly think I'd tell you where my home is, then you're more of a fool than I thought," Kikyo snarled.

Naraku just let out a laugh that sounded more like a growl. "I am a patient man, and gypsies don't do well when imprisoned, do they?" He turned his head into her hair, and when he took a great breath as he sniffed her hair, her heart turned cold.

"What are you doing?" she asked lowly, her free hand slowly curling into a fist.

"Just imagining a rope tied around that beautiful neck." He raised his hand to stroke her neck, and Kikyo took that opportunity to jab her elbow hard into his gut and turn, wrenching her arm away from his grasp.

"I know what you were imagining." Kikyo ignored the obvious lust in his eyes, instead glaring up at Naraku, her heart filled with disgust.

"Such a clever witch," Naraku hissed towards her. "So typical of your kind, to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts."

Before Kikyo could retort angrily at the blatant racism in what he had said, she was suddenly swept under her feet. All she could see was a blur of white and Naraku's angry red eyes and equally angered glaring gold eyes before they were launched off the ground. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, and winced when a gruff voice nearly yelled,

"What the ever living _fuck_ were you _thinking?!"_

 _###_

"You are the most _irresponsible_ , _idiotic, stupidest_ woman I have ever met—!"

"That's ironic, since it's coming from you."

"Kikyo," Inuyasha growled. "I am not in the mood for your smartass comments. I want to know what the fuck you were doing with Naraku!"

"I was grabbed by him, it wasn't like I _wanted_ to be around him—" Kikyo protested.

"Yeah, no kidding," Inuyasha scoffed. "I leave you alone for _five minutes_ …"

Kikyo frowned at the half-demon, and opened her mouth to retort angrily, but then Inuyasha collapsed onto the bench inside of their tent, burying his face into his hands. His red bandana slipped, showing the puppy dog ears that were his most distinct features inherited from his demon father.

"Naraku is ruthless, Kikyo - you know what he did to my father." His voice cracked, and he rubbed his face tiredly, looking up at her with barely-concealed worry. "I don't like that he's taken an interest in you. I can't afford to lose you. You're all I have."

Kikyo's heart melted, and she blamed purely the dog ears being shown - normally, if it was just the puppy-dog eyes, she could resist. But add the ears that he kept hidden most of the time, and she was lost. Damn him and damn his lost puppy dog look.

Kikyo sat right next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You know I'm not going anywhere. Naraku won't get his hands on me - you won't allow that, and _I_ won't allow that." She kissed his forehead. "You're all I have, too."

Inuyasha grumbled and playfully pushed her aside, rubbing his forehead, as if Kikyo was his annoying older sister and had cooties.

Now that Kikyo thought about, she sort of really _was_ his annoying older sister _._

"Hello hello, everyone decent in there?" Miroku poked his head through the gap, and smiled charmingly even when Inuyasha turned to glare at him. "You guys gotta get dressed! The Feast of Fools is about to begin, and you two have that big dance!"

"We'll start to get ready soon, Miroku." Kikyo nudged Inuyasha, who just groaned at the idea of having to do the Feast at all.

"I don't know what you're complaining about, Inuyasha! You're an incredible dancer—"

"Shaddup, perv!" Inuyasha threw a gold armband at Miroku, and Kikyo laughed.

###

On top of Notre Dame, a large half-demon covered himself in a large cloak. Large blue eyes shone underneath it as he looked around, hesitating.

 _"Remember what I've taught you, Jinenji." Naraku, his red eyes so cold, put his hands on Jinenji's arms._ "The world is cruel, the world is wicked…it is I alone who you can trust in this whole city."

Even so, Jinenji wanted to _see_. For all of his life, he had watched from afar what would happen in the city. For just once, he wanted to be there himself. The tower was so cold and lonely, and the only person he ever talked to was Naraku - Naraku told him that talking to his imaginary friends didn't count. Just _once_ , he wanted to enjoy the Feast of Fools.

His mind made up, he began to jump down in the shadows of the cathedral, still hiding from view as the music played and the crowd sang behind him.

 _"Come one, come all! Leave your loops and milking stools, coop the hens and pen the mules!"_ the crowd sang merrily as they walked around the festival. Jinenji grabbed onto a rope to watch from a pole, but it unraveled and made him swing in front of the main crowd singing. _"Come one, come all! Close the churches and the schools, it's the day for breaking rules, come and join the Feast…of…"_

 _"Fools!"_ Miroku, the one in charge of the festival every year sang loudly on his knees, jumping to his feet in front of Jinenji. He grabbed Jinenji's arm and began to skip with him in a circle. _"Once a year we throw a party here in town! Once a year we turn all Paris upside down! Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown; once again it's Topsy Turvy Day!"_

Jinenji could only take what was happening in stride. Miroku seemed to be everywhere at once, singing and making kids laugh, and always seemed to pull Jinenji into a dance. Also dogs were making the humans walk? He knew that the Feast of Fools was weird on purpose, but it never looked _this_ weird from the top of Notre Dame!

 _"It's the day the devil in us gets released! It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest!"_ Miroku had a puppet Naraku hit Jinenji in the head several times, which the half-demon did not enjoy. _"Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!"_

 _"Topsy turvy!"_ the crowd chanted.

 _"Ev'rything is upsy daysy!"_ Miroku laughed from on top of a booth. No, seriously, Jinenji wondered with confusion. How on earth did he get up there?

 _"Topsy turvy!"_

 _"Ev'ryone is acting crazy!"_ Of course they were, it was the Feast of Fools! Jinenji was seriously lost in what was going on. _"Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet - That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day!"_

Jinenji tripped over a cobblestone in the street, making him tumble right into a tent and probably destroying quite a few things in it.

"Oi! What the fu—"

"Are you okay?"

Jinenji quickly hid his face in his hood, scrambling backwards. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again!"

"Are you hurt?" It was a woman in a robe trying to get him to look at her, but a man with no shirt on who pulled his hood back. They were a strange pair - the woman with pin-straight, silky black hair and pale skin, and the man with far darker skin and messy white hair. They didn't seem to have anything in common other than their one hoop earring - the woman had hers in the left ear, while his seemed to be in a hole through his bandana, so the hoop was slightly poking out.

"Seems to be fine to me," the man said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. His eyebrows were black but his hair was white? What was going _on?_

"I-I am!" Jinenji stood up and began to usher himself out.

"Just be more a little more careful!" the woman told him gently, opening the flap of the tent for him.

"I will," Jinenji assured her, pulling up his hood again, hiding his face.

"Nice mask," the man called. And with that, Jinenji backed up slowly - right into a horse. He immediately cowered, but then a voice said gently, "Hey, don't hide! Achilles is friendly."

Jinenji looked up, his eyes immediately drawn to the woman wearing bright gold armor. Some of her dark hair escaped from her helmet, but her bright grey eyes and her smile was far more radiant than the armor she was wearing.

Jinenji said nothing, only pulled harder onto his hood and rushed away.

 _"Topsy Turvy!"_

 _"Beat the drums and blow the trumpets!"_ Miroku pretended to play into a trumpet for a while as the crowd chanted:

 _"Topsy Turvy!"_

 _"Join the bums and thieves and strumpets! Streaming in from Chartres to Calais."_ Miroku began to follow the dark carriage in which held Naraku began to pass by, the bells on his outfit jingling. _"Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy, On the sixth of Januervy! All because it's Topsy Turvy Day!"_

Naraku was let out of his carriage, taking his place on his chair, disinterested. He hated the Feast of Fools enough as it was, he didn't need to pretend he did on top of all that. His new Captain of the Guard, a young woman by the name of Kagome, spread out the guards to keep watch. Naraku had warned her of the dangers of a peasant festival, but…

 _"Come one, come all! Hurry, hurry, here's your chance! See the myst'ry and romance,"_ Miroku nudged Naraku with no fear, knowing he couldn't do anything about this festival. He jumped away, missing how Naraku cleaned himself off from any confetti that had landed on him.

 _"Come one, come all!"_ Miroku grabbed Jinenji's arm and pulled him closer to the stage, then let him go to jump onto it. _"See the finest pair in France, make an entrance to entrance! Dance Kikyo an' Inuyaaaaaaasha!"_

He threw down some powder, and when it cleared up it was the pair from before - Kikyo, now wearing a bright red dress and a gold crown, and Inuyasha, with no shirt at all and only wearing matching red pants with a white see-through wrap around his waist, still wearing his bandana. Inuyasha hit on the tambourine lightly as Kikyo began to dance, jumping around and moving as if he was made of water. Kikyo used her looks to bring in the crowd, twirling on one foot to match Inuyasha's dancing, pulling out a see-through handkerchief to dance with.

Naraku, who had leaned forward in his chair at seeing her coy look, settled back against his chair. "Look at the disgusting display."

Kagome, who had eyes only for Inuyasha, leaned forwards on Achilles and lifted her helmet to see better. Her only reply was, "Yes, sir!"

Kikyo began to leap towards Naraku's chair, sliding onto it easily and wrapping the handkerchief around his neck to pull him close. Though her lips were in a coy smile, her eyes showed all the hatred in her eyes as she went to kiss him only to push his judge's hat over his face and jumping back towards Inuyasha, backflipping to land in a split.

Inuyasha grabbed a spear from a nearby guard, and moved it around his body skillfully before tossing it to Kikyo, who caught it easily. She began to run, stabbing it into the ground and twirling around it, finally stopping to nod at the audience and letting Inuyasha leap to the top of the spear.

At Kikyo's nod, people began to throw coins onto the stage, including Kagome. Inuyasha leaped off the top of the spear and Kikyo got off to stand next to Miroku, and he tossed it back to the guard he had taken it from. He didn't even bother hiding his smirk when the guard was nailed in the head with the bottom part of it.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, piece de resistance!" Miroku announced while Jinenji clapped silently for what was truly a great dance.

 _"Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for! Here it is, you know exactly what's in store!"_ People began to nudge each other around Jinenji, and Jinenji looked around in confusion. What was about to happen? He could never really hear that well from the top of Notre Dame.

 _"Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore! Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!_ You all remember last year's King?" Miroku gestured towards the man in a makeshift throne, who belched loudly as if to say hello.

 _"So make a face that's horrible and frightening! Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing, for the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools! Why?"_ Miroku put a hand to his ear to hear the crowd's response.

 _"Topsy turvy!"_

 _."Ugly folk, forget your shyness!"_

Inuyasha offered a hand towards Jinenji with his lips tugging upwards into a smile, and without thinking of the possibility of Naraku being able to see him, he accepted it, letting him pull him onto the stage. Inuyasha pat his back as he followed Kikyo to the start of the line of men in costumes.

 _"Topsy turvy!"_

 _"You could soon be called Your Highness!"_ Miroku gripped Jinenji's face - how he got up there, he would never know - before jumping back down to pump up the crowd.

 _"Put your foulest features on display, be the king of Topsy Turvy Day!"_ the crowd sung along with Miroku, who went to stand next to Kikyo. One by one, Kikyo pulled off the masks of every men up in the stage, and when the crowd booed they were pushed into the mud by Inuyasha. Jinenji realized too late what this was about when they reached him and Kikyo reached up to pull off his mask - only to realize it to be his face. Inuyasha stared at him in shock while she gasped.

"That's no mask!" one man in the crowd yelled out in shock.

"That's his face!" A woman clutched to the man next to her in fear.

"He's hideous!"

"It's the bellringer from Notre Dame!"

People began to murmur unhappily as Naraku straightened up in his chair when he realized who exactly is on the stage. Jinenji looked around and all he could see were the disgusted faces, all looking up at _him_ , all considering _him_ to be too ugly…he buried his face in his hands, devastated. _I should've never come to the festival!_

Miroku looked around and jumped in front of Jinenji, his hands up in a soothing manner. "Ladies and gentlemen, don't be afraid! We asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here he is!" The crowd looked around at each other and slowly began to nod, feeling the festivity return to them. Miroku pulled out a crown and placed it on Jinenji's bowed head. "Jinenji, the half-demon of Notre Dame!"

The crowd rushed towards Jinenji, all going on top of him to put him into the throne where the old guy used to be, while Miroku began to lead the people carrying Jinenji's throne while shouting, _"Ev'rybody!"_

 _"Once a year we throw a party here in town!"_ the crowd sang in a loud voice as they trailed behind the crusade.

 _"Hail to the king!"_ Miroku grabbed the wooden "leg" of one of the people to walk around to be tall, ignoring how they struggled to stay up.

 _"Once a year we turn all Paris upside down!"_

 _"Oh, what a king!"_ Miroku winked the crowd.

 _"Once a year, the ugliest will wear a crown!"_

 _"Girls, give a kiss!"_ Two girls on top of a balcony kissed Jinenji's cheek, and it was then when Jinenji met Naraku's eye. He only waved shyly, while Naraku rose an eyebrow as he tapped his fingers on his arm.

 _"Once a year on Topsy Turvy Day!"_

 _"We've never had a king like this!"_ Miroku wrapped a mock king's cape around Jinenji's throat, and kindly offered him the specter. Jinenji accepted it with tears beginning to fall from his eyes. This…this was all he ever wanted.

 _"And it's the day we do the things that we deplore on the other three hundred and sixty-four! Once a year we love to drop in where the beer is never stoppin'!"_ The crowd began to circle around the platform Miroku and Jinenji were on, while Miroku gently pushed Jinenji to the center. _"For the chance to pop some popinjay, and pick a king who'll put the 'top' in Topsy Turvy Day! Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!"_

Jinenji actually smiled at the crowd, and for once in his life felt _accepted_ , felt like he could actually belong to this world that Naraku had called cruel so many times…

And that was when the first tomato hit.

The crowd went silent, before all of the sudden more produce began to hit him. The crowd quickly began to join in, and Jinenji cowered, desperately trying to escape the sting of the produce. He turned around to run away, but a rope was wrapped around his neck and legs, and as he tried to escape those more wrapped themselves around him. This time, strength was beaten by numbers, and he got tied down onto the rotating platform and began to spin. Struggling, he made eye-contact with Naraku.

"Master! Master, please! Help me!" Jinenji cried desperately, and his eyes widened in sorrow at seeing Naraku pointedly look away, his long fingers intertwined.

Kagome, with a look of disbelieved shock, turned to look at Naraku. "Sir, I request permission to stop this completely unnecessary cruelty."

Naraku held up a hand. "Wait for a few moments longer, Captain. A lesson needs to be learned."

Kagome's eyes hardened, and her hands on Achilles's reins tightened. She turned back to look at Jinenji and prepared herself to jump off the horse to go help him, when she stopped.

Someone was already approaching him. More appropriately, two people - Kikyo, wearing a simple red skirt with a black wrap tied around her waist, a silver corset and a simple white blouse, who was unwrapping her wrap to clean up Jinenji's face. And behind her was Inuyasha, still wearing his red pants and red bandana, only now he was also wearing a white shirt with a deep V-neck and a thick black cloth belt around his waist, who was glaring at the entire crowd. His golden eyes seemed to dare them to throw another produce.

Jinenji flinched away from Kikyo's wrap, and she sighed. "I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."

Inuyasha crouched down next to him on his other side. "Are you hurt? Are these ropes cuttin' ya?"

Before Jinenji could say a word, Naraku stood up to his feet, furious. "Gypsies! Get off of there at once!"

"Yes, _your honor_ ," Kikyo said with a voice so sweet that Inuyasha visibly shuddered. He knew what that tone meant. "Just as soon as we free this poor creature."

"I will not allow you to do it! The half-breed needs to learn his lesson!" Naraku yelled.

Both Inuyasha and Kikyo's eyes narrowed, and Kikyo turned her head slightly to nod at Inuyasha. Without hesitating, Inuyasha pulled out a knife from his belt and cut away at the ropes, releasing Jinenji.

"How dare you—" Naraku growled, his fingers clutching at the arms of his chair.

"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat our people and my kind!" Inuyasha shouted, standing to his full height next to Kikyo. "You speak of justice, yet you're cruel to those most in need of your help!"

Naraku tore his gaze away from Kikyo to glare at Inuyasha. "Silence!"

"Justice!" both Kikyo and Inuyasha yelled, with Inuyasha pumping his fist into the air.

"You will pay for this insolence, gypsies." Naraku pointed a shaky finger towards them.

Both Inuyasha and Kikyo raised an eyebrow and exchanged glances at each other. "Say, Inuyasha, don't you believe we've crowned the wrong fool?" Kikyo said casually, putting a hand on her hip.

" _Keh,_ you know it. Especially since the only fool I see is _him_!" Inuyasha snatched the crown from Jinenji's head and threw it at Naraku, nailing him in the face. Naraku furiously threw the crown to the ground.

"Captain Kagome! Arrest them!" Kagome, with an unpleased grimace, snapped her fingers at the guards to surround the stage.

"Now let's see…" Kikyo put a hand on her hip and began to count the heads she saw. "How many do you count, Inuyasha? I see seven."

"Nah, there's ten." Inuyasha put his knife back into his belt, an eyebrow raised.

"So there's ten of you, and two of us?" Kikyo began to pull a handkerchief out of her blouse. "What's a poor girl to do?" She began to cry, and then sneezed into it, causing a puff of smoke. When it cleared, both of them were gone.

Naraku's eyes widened and he leaned back. "Witchcraft!"

"Yo, bastards! Over here!" On top of one of the tables, Inuyasha and Kikyo had their backs leaning together, with Inuyasha throwing an apple into the air. He immediately threw it at one of the guards and grabbed Kikyo's hand, running off with her to evade the guards. Kikyo jumped up towards two guards, grabbing their helmets and crashing them against each other. She pulled one helmet off and tossed it towards Inuyasha.

Inuyasha grabbed it easily while he was running and through it like a frisbee, watching in amusement as it knocked out three guards and nearly Kagome, who merely ducked. The helmet imbedded itself in the pole behind her, but she only straightened up with a dreamy look on her face.

"What a man!" she sighed, absentmindedly making Achilles go closer to them.

Kikyo and Inuyasha exchanged looks, before Inuyasha offered a hand. Kikyo began to run towards it, using Inuyasha's hand as leverage to jump and land on the roof of the stage. Inuyasha quickly followed, and with both of them making direct eye contact with Naraku, Inuyasha pulled up the cover on the roof and twisted it around them, slowly disappearing.

When Miroku pulled the cover away, they were gone.

Naraku turned his glare to Jinenji, still on the platform. He got onto his horse, slowly approaching the half-demon still cowering, trying to hide from view.

"I'm sorry, Master. I'll never disobey you again…" Jinenji whispered, looking down at his arms filled with scars. Kagome bit her lip, staring at him in worry.

"You better not." Naraku pointed to the cathedral. Jinenji nodded, slowly getting off of the platform. His clothes were torn from trying to escape the rope, and as he looked around all he saw were terrified humans and demons, staring at him as if he were some sort of _monster…_

The rain began to pour down on him, and he quickly rushed towards the cathedral, opening the door with too much force. Heaving against the door on the other side, tears soon began mixed with the raindrops on his face as Jinenji closed the door on his one chance to freedom.

###

"Kikyo, listen to me—"

"Your idea is idiotic!"

"My idea is _reasonable_!" Inuyasha shot back, looking around. They were hiding in an alley, but he knew they couldn't stay like that forever. "You know as well as I do that if Naraku gets his hands on you, that's the end of the line for everything you are. Go to the Court of Miracles. I'll stay behind to lead him off your trail."

"Inuyasha—!" Kikyo protested. "Didn't we just talk about how we're the last thing the other has? What happens if he catches you?"

" _Keh_ , he won't," Inuyasha scoffed. "He's more angry with you than he is with me - I'll lead him around in circles and then I'll go back to the Court."

Kikyo looked ready to continue arguing, but when she heard Naraku's angry yelling at his Captain to find them in one piece, she bit her lip harshly.

"If you die on me I won't forgive you," Kikyo finally said, covering herself with a cloak and pulling up the hood. "Be careful, Inuyasha."

" _Feh_. I always am. Now _get out!"_ Inuyasha pulled on his own hood, looking around to make sure that the cost was clear. Making sure that Kikyo was following with the plan, he hunched over dramatically and pulled up his pant legs, so that the only things people would see when they looked at him was a hunched, barefoot old man.

Wobbling forward to sell the look, Inuyasha's gold eyes shone underneath the black cloak as he avoided the guards. He ignored the rain pouring down on him as he entered his temporary sanctuary - Notre Dame.

He didn't notice a Captain's gaze on him.


	2. God Help the Outcasts

As soon as Inuyasha entered Notre Dame, he took off his cloak, standing up straight. He looked up into what, until now, had been the forbidden cathedral—

—and promptly dropped the cloak onto the ground in astonishment.

He had heard the stories, heard the tales of what Notre Dame held…but he had never imagined something like _this_. He couldn't wrap his mind fully around what he was seeing, only staring up at the huge _grandness_ , of the low singing of the choir in a language he never had the chance to understand - Latin. _If my father were still alive, he would've found a way to teach both Mother and I._

 _What Kikyo wouldn't give to be in here right now…_

Inuyasha's ears twitched underneath his bandana, and he became aware of someone coming up behind him - someone with rather loud, clanky armor. Waiting until the last possible moment, he turned around, grabbed the sword from the sheath, and pushed the soldier down.

He saw the golden armor - a gold that matched his eyes - and his eyes narrowed. He recognized this soldier. She was the one who had helped Kikyo and him earlier when she arrived, who tossed coins onto the stage during the Feast of Fools, and the soldier who had tried to arrest her.

" _You_ ," he growled, pointing the sword to her chin.

"Whoa! Easy!" The soldier began to back away, but Inuyasha just kept walking forward, always keeping the sword at her throat. "Just calm down - I just want to apologize!"

"For what?" Inuyasha began to mentally list the things this soldier could apologize for, with two on the forefront of his mind: not stopping Naraku from torturing that half-demon, and for trying to arrest Kikyo and him.

The soldier bit her lip, before grabbing the sword from his hands and swiping a foot underneath his own bare feet, making him fall to the ground. "Well, that," she said sheepishly.

Inuyasha turned to look at her with an angry glare in his eyes. "You cheating, sneaky bit—"

"Ah, ah, ah! Watch it—we're in a church," the soldier chided as she stood up, wagging her sword at him like he was some sort of child.

His anger rising, Inuyasha leapt to his feet and grabbed the candle-staff. "How lucky, I get a comedian to arrest me." He swung his makeshift weapon at her, and she quickly blocked it with her sword, slowly backing away.

"Candlelight...privacy...music. Can't think of a better place for hand-to-hand combat!" the soldier laughed as she continued to block every strike Inuyasha did. "You fight almost as well as a soldier!" She truly sounded impressed, but Inuyasha knew a lot of smooth-talkers down at the Court of Miracles - namely Miroku - so all he did was grunt.

"Pretty sure I've seen soldiers fight better than you." Inuyasha went to strike her side, and when she blocked he lifted the other end to hit her chest and push her back.

The soldier shook her head in an effort to clear it. "Whoa! Touché, I guess. That was a pretty good hit."

Inuyasha slowly backed away, the staff still in his hands. "I don't take kindly to soldiers."

She laughed nervously. "I noticed." She cleared her throat. "Pardon me - I'm Kagome. You know, like the song?"

Inuyasha only lifted an eyebrow at her, and if Kikyo had been there, he would've exchanged looks with her.

Kagome didn't let that deteriorate her, and she pushed on, "And you are?"

"Is this an interrogation?" Inuyasha asked, his eyebrow still raised with an unamused smirk as he took one step closer. The hair on the back of his neck rose, as if sensing danger nearby.

Kagome's face hardened, and Inuyasha didn't miss how she sent a glare to the church doors behind her. She put her sword back into her sheath, showing him that she didn't intend to fight anymore. "It's called an introduction."

"You're not arresting me?" Inuyasha asked in disbelief. Why wouldn't this soldier just arrest him? All she had been doing was give him cheesy one-liners - which he had returned with amusement, but he'd never tell her that - and hadn't even tried to take him outside to Naraku. Without even noticing, he began to lower the staff.

"Not as long as you're in here." Kagome gestured to the cathedral around them, giving him a small smile. "I can't."

Inuyasha put the staff back down on the floor, not taking his eyes off of her. "You're not like all those other fu- stupid soldiers," he corrected himself as she sent him a look. Damn it, why was he now noticing that she was no longer wearing her helmet, letting her long unruly raven hair loose?

"I'll take that as a compliment." Kagome wouldn't stop smiling at him, it was starting to unnerve him. Why was she not taking advantage of the fact that he no longer had a weapon in his hands? Why was she just staring up at him with something akin to astonishment in her eyes?

"So, if you're not going to arrest me, what do you want?" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, raising his eyebrow at her. Her eyes followed the motion of his arms for a single minute before jumping back up to his face, cheeks tinged pink.

"Your name would be a good start." Her voice cracked, and she quickly cleared her throat. Inuyasha let his lips flicker upwards into a smile.

" _Feh_. Inuyasha." What would be the harm of giving her his name? He wasn't the only white-haired Romani in Paris - Shiori was the first person who came to mind when he thought of the others - and just by going through hair color, it'd be difficult trying to find him and instead finding his douchebag older half-brother who hated his guts.

"That's beautiful," Kagome breathed, and when his eyes widened she laughed it off nervously. "You have to admit it's much better than Kagome!"

Inuyasha shrugged, looking down at her with a twinkle in his eyes. " _Keh_ , Kagome has a nice ring, I suppose."

Kagome's responding smile was beautiful - full of light and everything good in the world. Inuyasha also will forever deny that he got lost in her eyes as they stared at each other in silence. Her grey eyes were shining - a much better shade than the harsh grey of Notre Dame.

So lost in her eyes he was, that he didn't notice the cathedral doors opening until he heard Naraku's smug voice call out, "Good work, Captain! Now grab him!"

Kagome whirled around to look at Naraku, before turning back to Inuyasha. "Claim sanctuary," she hissed through her teeth.

Inuyasha could only stare at her, first in shock before it slowly morphed to anger. How could he be so _foolish_ \- to get lost in the eyes of some pretty soldier girl - he had fallen straight into her damn trap—

"You tricked me," he growled out, his hand darting out to grab the smooth medal of the candle-staff he had fought Kagome with.

"Just do it!" Kagome pleaded. Inuyasha refused to say word, only letting confusion cloud his mind for a second. Why did she sound so pleading when she lured him into a trap, into lowering his guard to arrest him? Did she actually not want to?

 _Feh._ And he had thought Kikyo was complicated to understand. She had nothing on this soldier.

"Captain, I'm _waiting_." Naraku came closer, his eyes roaming around the cathedral as if looking for something. And with a sick feeling in his stomach, Inuyasha knew exactly who he was looking for.

Kagome turned to look at the judge, masking her face into a perfect poker face. "I apologize, sir, but he's claimed sanctuary. There's nothing we can do."

Naraku's red eyes glared directly at Inuyasha. "Then drag him out and—"

"Ye will not touch him, Naraku!" Sister Kaede quickly rushed over, her full height barely reaching Inuyasha's shoulder, but with her one eye-patch and the knowledge that she was the one guiding the Archdeacon, everyone was wary about it. Kaede glared at them as she touched Inuyasha's elbow.

"Do not worry, child." Kaede used her one good eye to send an angry look at Naraku. "Minister Naraku learned years ago not to disrespect the sanctity of the church, hasn't he?"

Naraku gritted his teeth, knowing exactly what the nun was talking about.

 _Kaede cradled the woman in her arms, blood clotting her entire torso and still dripping onto the snow-covered steps of the cathedral. The nun looked up at the unforgiving man on the black horse, still ready to throw an innocent baby down a well._

"See there the innocent blood you have split on the steps of Notre Dame," _she sung, her voice mournful as she caressed the woman's face._

 _"I am guiltless - she ran, I pursue."_

"Now you would add this child's blood to your guilt, on the steps of Notre Dame!"

 _"My conscious is clear!"_

"You can lie to yourself and your minions!" _Kaede raised her voice, determined to be heard._ "You can claim that you haven't a qualm! But you never can run from nor hide what you've done from the eyes - the very eyes of Notre Dame!"

 _"…what must I do?"_

Kaede smirked, before she began to usher the guards and Naraku out. Kagome lingered, turning to look at Inuyasha desperately.

"I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to lock you in here—!" Kaede grabbed Kagome's arm, and began to pull her out. "I'll come back- bring food—!"

Inuyasha just shook his head, letting an amused smile show on his face. This soldier truly wasn't like all the others - she let her guard down, showed her emotions on her sleeve. _Feh, she's an interesting wench._

This time, though, Inuyasha didn't let thoughts of her consume him. He knew that Naraku had doubled back to hide, and this time, Inuyasha would be ready. His ears twitching underneath the bandana, he waited until just the right moment to turn around and grab the candle-staff at the same time to point it at Naraku's chin.

Naraku scowled, gripping the staff and pushing it away. Inuyasha just pointed it at him again.

"You think you've outwitted me, gypsy? Where is your pretty little friend? I'd _love_ to arrest both you and her." Naraku licked his lips, a mad lust in his eyes, and Inuyasha shuddered and thanked everything holy that Kikyo had actually listened to him for once and escaped to the Court of Miracles.

"I know what you want her for, and you're insane if you think I'll ever let you have her!" Inuyasha growled, slowly moving in a circle to push Naraku out. "She's somewhere you'll _never_ find her, so get lost!"

"I am a patient man. I _will_ find her, and she _will_ be mine, half-breed." Naraku's lips flickered into a cruel smirk, and Inuyasha froze for just a second, before taking a long sniff of the air. His face hardened, and he pushed against Naraku harder.

"I'm not the only half-breed here, hypocrite."

Naraku's eyes widened before he let out a snarl of his own. Inuyasha smirked, gold eyes daring red ones to continue to try to go against him. _One more step, and I'll let everyone know how much of a real demon you really are, Naraku._

"So typical of gypsies, to use witchcraft to fabric lies out of thin air." Naraku turned and began to leave, but Inuyasha didn't let his guard drop. "You've chosen a rather magnificent prison, but just remember it for what it is - your _cage_. If you just let one toe out of those doors, and you'll be arrested on the spot. And you _will_ tell me the location of you pretty little _friend_." Naraku opened the door, turning his head to smirk at him. "Gypsies don't do so well in stone walls, do they?"

And with that he closed the door.

Inuyasha froze, before dropping the candle-staff and rushing towards the door, pulling it open forcefully. Naraku was ordering for a guard to be placed at every door, and Inuyasha's anger flared and he slammed the door, leaning against it and cursing mentally.

 _Damn it! Fuck fuck fuck - motherfucking piece of shit—!_

"He can't keep me in here!" Inuyasha growled out, looking around to see if he could find any way out. How was he supposed to let Kikyo know he was okay if he was stuck here?

"Don't act rashly, child." Kaede went to crouch down to grab the dropped candle-staff, and Inuyasha picked it up and placed it back for her. She patted his arm in thanks and began to relight the candles. "You and that friend of yours created quite a commotion at the Feast of Fools. And with your friend disappearing…It would be unwise to arouse Naraku's anger even more so."

"You saw what he did! Letting the crowd torture that poor half-demon!" Inuyasha gestured to the doors, letting out a small growl of frustration. "We thought- _I_ thought that if someone did something then…" Inuyasha sighed, his anger deflating. "What does he have against people who are different, anyways? Especially his own—!" He bit the inside of his cheek. If Naraku wanted to keep this a secret, fine. Inuyasha would keep his secret and watch gleefully when it inevitably came out and burn him down.

"Ye can't right all the wrongs in this world by yourself, child, even if ye have your friend's help," Kaede told him soothingly, a hand on his back. Her touch reminded him of the old Romani women that would take care of Kikyo and him when they would get sick as children…and it also reminded him of his own mother's hand on his back as she carried him around. Oh how he missed her _so_ _much_.

Shaking his head, he said bitterly, "Well, no one else out there will help, that's for sure." He sent a glare to the door, as if it was to blame the prejudice of people.

"Well, maybe someone in here can." With a secretive smile, Kaede pat his back gently and gestured to the church before leaving. Inuyasha stared after her in confusion before looking back into the inside of the church. After looking at the people praying, he turned his head to look at the statue of God right in front of him. Slowly, as if possessed, he approached it, for once letting his façade _break_ , to show all the doubt and vulnerability he kept contained to survive. He stopped just a few feet away, and began to hesitate. He took a deep breath, imagining his mother's smiling face and Kikyo's laughter and for some reason sparkling grey eyes, and with that in mind, he opened his own eyes to face God head-on.

 _"I don't know if You can hear me, or if You're even there,_ " he sung softly, his bare feet resuming the walk towards the statue. His eyes never left the face made out of a stone, that somehow still showed compassion. _"I don't know if You would listen to a gypsy's prayer."_ Inuyasha let bitterness take his tone for the last statement, before quickly shaking it off to look back into the statue.

 _"Yes, I know I'm just an outcast, I shouldn't speak to You,"_ he sung slowly, daring in his heart to even _hope_ that for once, someone higher than him _understood_. _"Still I see Your face and wonder, were You once an outcast too?"_

Jinenji looked up from the herbs he had resting on his hands, hearing the soft baritone voice singing something that seemed to resonate to his very heart. _What is this? Who is singing?_

And at the same time, Kagome sneaked back inside the cathedral, without her armor and wearing a linen tunic and linen pants, only carrying a covered basket. She heard the echo of singing that was most definitely _not_ the choir, and quickly went to check it out.

Inuyasha didn't notice either of them, looking directly forward as he walked around the church. He walked through the candlelight and used the song as a prayer, though by the pleading in his voice it neared begging as well.

 _"God help the outcasts, hungry from birth. Show them the mercy they don't find on earth…"_ Inuyasha squeezed his eyes tight, clutching his hand into a fist before slowly loosening it. _"God help my people; We look to You still…God help the outcasts, or nobody will…"_

Jinenji hid in the shadows as he walked through the corridors, following the sound of the melodic voice. He dared to lean over to see the floor below him, and quickly spotted the voice walking behind the pillars as the people went inside the church for confession. He quickly went down the steps, trying to catch a better glimpse.

 _"I ask for wealth, I ask for fame,"_ they sang, their hands together in a prayer. _"I ask for glory to shine on my name…"_

Kagome continued to follow Inuyasha from the other side, stopping momentarily to stare at the parishioners walking towards the stained glass-window with Jesus. An older woman was reaching up towards it, her hands calloused, and Kagome's heart ached.

 _"I ask for love I can possess,"_ she sung pleadingly. The others reached up too, trying to reach God as they sung, _"I ask for God and His angels to bless me…!"_

Inuyasha leaned against one wall, taking a deep breath. _"I ask for nothing, I can get by…but I know so many less lucky than I…"_ He pushed himself off to walk back towards the stained glass-window, letting his desperation show in his eyes for his wish to come true.

Kagome leaned against a pillar, a hand over her mouth as her eyes stung with tears. His voice, his pleading, his selflessness…everything about this man was just so strange and beautiful and _heartbreaking_. If she had the choice, she would've listened to him for the rest of her life and given him everything he would ever need in the world.

 _"God help the outcasts, the poor and downtrod…I thought we all were Children of God…"_ He slowly stepped into the light, as if he was thinking himself unworthy to be in it, but felt brave enough to sing the last part. _"God help the outcasts, Children of God…"_

Jinenji's eyes watered as he clutched his tunic. He had always been an outcast from the rest of the world. Was he really just like Inuyasha, who was allowed to roam the streets and had friends? Who was so kind that he would risk getting arrested for Jinenji's sake?

Kagome snapped out of the daze Inuyasha had put her through, and quickly spotted the large half-demon bellringer. Remembering how she failed to save him earlier, she approached him quickly, reaching out to touch his arm. What had they called him earlier? "Jinenji?"

Jinenji jumped, startled, and knocked down a candle-staff in the process. Inuyasha quickly turned around, as did many parishioners, and Jinenji could just _feel_ the insults burning on their tongue, waiting for the perfect moment to say it…burying his face in his hands, he ran back up to the stairs.

"Hold on! Wait!" Kagome quickly followed him, putting the basket under one arm as she used all of her training to sprint up the stairs. Inuyasha quickly followed, knowing well how to space himself. He could easily catch up, but it would be better to let the huge half-demon - horse, if he was remembering correctly - tire himself out running away to catch up to him. That didn't stop him from quickly catching up to Kagome.

"Oi! We want to talk to you!" Inuyasha called, still chasing after Jinenji. Jinenji entered the bellower, and Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other before Kagome pushed through to go after him.

"Jinenji, please wait! I'm Kagome! I wanted to apologize!" Kagome pleaded, and the bellringer stopped, turning to look at her slowly.

"Apologize?" he whispered. "W-why? You did nothing wrong…"

"I beg to differ," Inuyasha mumbled under his breath, and Kagome looked guilty for a split second at him before turning back to look at Jinenji.

"I wanted to apologize for not stopping that cruelty on the stage. I should've gone up there as soon as the first tomato started, but…"

"You're Naraku's loyal Captain of the Guard and have to ask permission for everythin'," Inuyasha finished for her. This time Kagome glared at him, but had to begrudgingly admit the truth - as long as you omitted the 'loyal' part of it. In just the few hours she had been working for Naraku, she had seen what he was - cruel, and racist, and the opposite of what Paris needed.

"It's okay. I uh, I have chores to do. It was, uh, nice…seeing…you...again." Jinenji turned around in embarrassment and clamored up the next pair of stairs, and this time it was Inuyasha to be the first to follow him.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened at the festival." Inuyasha pulled himself up. "I had no idea what was going to happen. If I did I would've never in my life pulled…you…up onto the…stage." Inuyasha's last words were drawled out because of the shock at what he saw, and Kagome quickly followed him to see what got his tongue so twisted.

When she saw what he was looking at, she couldn't blame him. It was beautiful - the setting sun was glinting through the window onto broken stained glass hanging from a hook in a sort of mobile, and on the table were multiple tiny wooden figures with an open book in front of them.

"What is this place?" Kagome asked as she looked around in awe.

"This is my home. It's where I live," Jinenji answered shyly, and nearly jumping out of his skin when Kagome rested a hand on his arm to look up at him with astonishment in her eyes.

Inuyasha ignored them, tapping the mobile. "Did you make all of this?" he asked, looking down at the table and gingerly touching the open book in front of him.

"Most of them." Jinenji approached him, closing the book, but Inuyasha only grabbed one of the wooden figures and inspected it closely. It really wasn't a figure, per se - it was more like a model of a plant.

"…this is elderberry," Inuyasha said slowly. "They're good for preventing infections and shortening colds. And you had all those facts written down in your book - are you studyin' medical herbs?"

Jinenji nodded shyly, and Inuyasha put the wooden model down, impressed. Jinenji had gotten every single detail of the berry down in his model, with only wood and paint and good eyesight. Meanwhile, Kagome stared at Inuyasha in shock, and he straightened up, a little bit defensive.

"What?" he snapped. "Just 'cause my mother was Romani doesn't mean she wasn't educated. And Kikyo's obsessed with medical herbs."

"I wasn't saying that!" Kagome put the basket down on the table to raise her hands up into the air.

"You were thinkin' it."

"Was not!"

"Whatever." Inuyasha crouched down and poked a wooden model gently with the tip of his claw, sighing. "If I could do this, you wouldn't find _me_ dancing in the streets for coins."

"But you're a wonderful dancer!" Kagome covered her mouth quickly and looked at him apologetically. Inuyasha looked torn between glaring at her and just shaking his head at her, but when Jinenji agreed quietly he just sighed again, leaning against the table.

"It brings bread to the table." He shrugged, looking around the tower again. "You're a lucky person, Jinenji."

"Huh?" Jinenji blinked in confusion as he looked around. How was having all of this lucky? It was sanctuary, but at the same time it was… _suffocating_.

"All of this room to yourself." Inuyasha gestured to the tower widely. "If I had this big of a space, Kikyo wouldn't complain about the lack of it, that's for sure."

Kagome nudged him hard in the gut, and Inuyasha just rolled his eyes at her. Jinenji didn't notice either of these actions, just looked down at his hands nervously.

"W-well, it's not just me. There's the gargoyles, and the bells." Jinenji gestured upwards, and Kagome gasped at seeing the amount of bells. She had known that the bells took up a lot of space, but she never realized just how _much_.

Jinenji noticed her pleasure at seeing the bells and asked rather shyly, "Do you want to see more?"

"I'd love too!" Kagome clamored up the stairs to get a closer look at the bells. Inuyasha's ears twitched underneath his bandana and he lingered behind, looking at the bells warily.

"Let me introduce you!" For the first time Jinenji sounded truly excited, and began to swing on the beams to go from bell to bell. "That's Little Sophia, and…Jean Marie, Ann Marie, and Louise Marie!"

Kagome giggled at Jinenji's enthusiasm, before her eyes were drawn to what seemed like one of the biggest bells in the tower. She approached it slowly.

"Who's this?" she asked, touching the cool metal of the bell.

"That's Big Marie." Jinenji swung back to where she was, staring at Kagome in wonder as she ducked underneath the bell to yell "Hello!" into the bell. The echo was beautiful, but Inuyasha still winced at the pain it gave his poor ears.

"She likes you." Jinenji smiled shyly at Kagome, and Kagome just touched the clapper of the bell. "Do you want to see more?"

Kagome peeked out of the bell and looked down back to where Inuyasha had stayed behind. "Wanna see more, Inuyasha?"

"As long as it doesn't involve loud noises." Inuyasha went up the stairs and followed them warily, rubbing his ears through the bandana.

"We'd love to, Jinenji." Kagome smiled up at the giant half-demon, and he turned away when he felt heat rush to his face.

"I saved the best for last. Please follow me." Jinenji went up more stairs, and Kagome went to follow him eagerly. _Too_ eagerly - she missed the last step and stumbled forward, about to fall flat on her face on the stone floor.

Strong arms caught her around the waist, pulling her up against a strong and mostly-bare chest. Heat flared into her cheeks as she looked up to see Inuyasha's amused eyes.

" _Feh._ You're clumsy for a soldier." His arms began to retract from her, only to place his hands on her waist and hoisting her up so high that her toes were brushing the stone floor above. She squeaked as Inuyasha gently put her down, and stared at him shyly as Inuyasha went up the stairs.

It occurred to her that when she had been falling, Inuyasha was still meters away. How had he come to catch her so fast?

Jinenji hadn't noticed Kagome's fall or Inuyasha's catching her, but he was gesturing them to come closer.

"This is the best part of living here," Jinenji said happily, watching Kagome's face as she looked over and gasped.

The view was _beautiful._ You could see the entirety of Paris, and the sun was setting into the River Seine. Kagome leaned her elbows on the stone counters, sighing happily.

"I bet the king himself doesn't have a view like this," she breathed out, her grey eyes glittering when disappearing sunbeams hit them.

Inuyasha could only put a hand on the edge to hold himself up, and he wished that Kikyo would be there purely to see this magnificent view. "I could stay up here forever," he sighed.

"You could, you know." Jinenji sat on top of the edge, staring at Inuyasha intently.

"Jinenji's right," Kagome added, looking at Inuyasha. "You have sanctuary."

"But not freedom." Inuyasha pushed himself off and crossed his arms across his chest, facing his back to them as he bitterly said, "My people don't do well inside stone walls."

"But you're not like other gypsies!" Jinenji's big blue eyes dimmed when he saw Inuyasha turn around to give him a disbelieving glare. "They're…evil," he finished lamely.

"Who told you that?" Inuyasha nearly demanded, but he dug his claws into his hands to calm himself down. _Calm down, it isn't his fault, it's just ignorance, you can change that…_

"My master, Naraku." Jinenji let himself down the counter and began to walk toward the glass-roof of the cathedral. "He's raised me since I was a baby." He sat down and crossed his arms across his legs, raising his knees to rest his chin on them.

"How could someone so cruel have raised someone like you?" Kagome sat down, putting a hand soothingly on Jinenji's back.

"Cruel?" Jinenji shook his head quickly. "Oh, no! He saved my life, Kagome. He took me in when no one else would. I am a monster, you know."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped to him as Kagome said softly, "He told you that?"

Jinenji gestured to himself desperately. "Just look at me. I'm a half-demon—"

"Do you think _I'm_ a monster, Jinenji?"

Both Jinenji and Kagome stopped, staring at Inuyasha. His eyes were only on Jinenji as he repeated his question. "Do you think I'm a monster, Jinenji?"

"N-no!" Jinenji shook his head his head. "You are kind and honest and good—"

"And a half-demon." Inuyasha took off his bandana, revealing his dog ears that twitched on top of his head, the right one having a gold hoop earring - just like Kikyo's. Kagome's eyes widened as she finally saw the claws that tipped his fingers and toes, and the fang that poked out of his bitter smirk. He tied the bandana around his wrist to avoid looking at her.

"Y-you're…also a half-demon?" Jinenji whispered. "B-but Master said…"

Inuyasha scoffed. " _Keh._ Naraku isn't one to talk, considering he's one too. He just figured out a way to hide it better than pulling a bandana over his head." Inuyasha approached Jinenji and sat down on his free side. "So do you think I'm a monster since I'm half-demon?"

"No!" Jinenji shook his head vehemently. "You helped me when no one else did."

"So if I'm not a monster, that means you're not one either." Inuyasha shrugged, stating the simplicity of it.

Jinenji said nothing, only looked down at his feet, and Inuyasha let out a frustrated sigh and held out his hand. "Gimme your hand, Jinenji."

Kagome watched curiously as Jinenji held out his giant hand, and Inuyasha grasped it easily, unafraid. He began to trace over the lines of his palm, letting out quiet "hmm"s as he did.

"I see…" Inuyasha started slowly, "…a long lifeline, and this one here shows how shy you are. But… _feh,_ that's weird."

"What? What is?" Jinenji asked, his wide eyes and curious expression making him look like a child, and Kagome's heart twisted itself in her chest. _Did Naraku even allow him to be a child?_ she wondered.

"I don't see any." Inuyasha squinted at Jinenji's hand as if trying to look for something.

"Any what?"

Inuyasha's head snapped up as he answered, "Monster lines. Not a single one, Jinenji. I'll ask again. Do you think I'm a monster?"

Jinenji's eyes widened and he snatched Inuyasha's hand. "No! There's no monster lines on you either, Inuyasha, you're—"

"—a Romani," Inuyasha interrupted. "And a half-demon."

Kagome leaned forward to smile at Jinenji. "Maybe Naraku's wrong about the both of you."

Jinenji looked at both of them with watery tears, but he rubbed his face and stood up, walking to the edge, turning to face them with a determined look.

"You both helped me, as did your friend, Kikyo," Jinenji told them, directing the last bit to Inuyasha. "Would you let me repay the favor?"

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged confused looks. "I could technically go out the front door," Kagome said slowly, and then winced as she thought more about what she was saying. "Then again, a guard would see me and tell Naraku."

"Not your smartest idea, soldier," Inuyasha snorted, and Kagome just mock-glared at him. He continued as if he hadn't seen her. "And I can't get out, period. I'd be arrested as soon as one of the soldiers saw me."

Jinenji shook his head. "We're not going through the doors."

"Then…" Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Climbing down?"

Jinenji nodded. "I climbed down from here to the Feast of Fools, so I can do it. You can carry Kagome, and I can carry you—"

Inuyasha took a step back and shook his head. "Oh, no. I don't do well not being in control of my feet."

Staring down at his feet, Kagome could understand why - from the way he danced and the way he moved in their fight, Inuyasha did half of his movements with his feet. Adding running away from arrest all the time, it was understandable why Inuyasha depended on his feet and felt helpless when he wasn't.

"How about this," Kagome compromised. "Jinenji, you can carry me, and Inuyasha, you can follow Jinenji's movements. That sound good?"

The two half-demons looked at her, one with flushed cheeks and the other with a raised eyebrow, but Inuyasha eventually just shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Kagome beamed at him and then turned to Jinenji, and once again she was reminded of how gentle he was - his large hands that could probably crush skulls picked her up as if she was a piece of glass.

"Ready?" Jinenji asked, alternating between looking at Kagome and Inuyasha. The both nodded, Inuyasha cracking his neck.

"Don't be afraid," he told Kagome, but she only laughed and replied, "I'm not afraid."

Jinenji launched himself over the edge and let them fall for a while before grabbing onto a gargoyle head. Kagome began to cough, having hold in her screaming as they fell.

"Now I am," she wheezed, both arms wrapped tightly around Jinenji's neck.

There was a bark of laughter next to her, and she turned to look at Inuyasha, who looked unaffected by the fall as he held the gargoyle head next to theirs. "Don't look down, wench!" he teased, swinging down the exterior of the cathedral when Jinenji did, following his every move.

Kagome squeaked the entire time - the only sound she was capable of making without the fear of biting her tongue off - and said shakily when the stopped at a slanted roof "You're quite talented, Jinenji!"

"Thank you—"

The tile they were standing up broke off, making Jinenji slip onto it with Kagome still in his arms. They went down the tile as if it were a slid, and Kagome began to silently panic when she saw how close the open air was approaching, if they went into the air there would be no way to control it—

Just before they were about to fly off the roof, a blur of red passed by them and grabbed Jinenji's hand, leaping off. Jinenji quickly got the gist and jumped off, with Kagome pressing herself into him to prevent falling. They landed onto a statue at the base of the cathedral, with the tile making a loud clattering sound.

The blur of red revealed himself to be Inuyasha, who quickly hide behind the statue when he heard the guards approaching. Kagome quickly pretended to be a smaller statue of the Virgin Mary statue they were hiding in, and Jinenji pretended to be part of the head of the statue.

The guards passed by with torches, and a bead of sweat trailed down Inuyasha's temple as he let himself to look only through the corner of his eyes. If he was arrested, Kikyo would get worried and inevitably go out to look for him, and then Naraku would get his hands on her…

The guards passed not noticing a thing, and Inuyasha got out, jumping down lightly onto the ground in relief. He held out a hand to Kagome, who graciously took it with flushed cheeks and let him help her off. Jinenji jumped to join them, looking down shyly.

"I'll never forget you two, Kagome, Inuyasha," he mumbled, peeking up at them as if scared of what they's say.

Inuyasha looked back up the dark cathedral, before locking eyes with Jinenji and saying bluntly, "How 'bout you come with me?"

"W-what?" Jinenji blinked in confusion.

"Come with me to the Court of Miracles. Kikyo would be glad to see you, and you'd be able to leave this place." Inuyasha gestured to Notre Dame, slightly glaring at it. As beautiful as Jinenji's room had been, he had always seen Notre Dame as a prison that offered safety. The dark colors, the creepy gargoyles…this wasn't a place people should live in.

"Oh, no." Jinenji backed away and shook his head. "I'm never going back out there again. You saw what happened to me today. This is where I belong. T-thank you for offering, but…"

Inuyasha frowned and opened his mouth to retort, but Kagome cut in and said, "Well then, I'll visit you!"

"What? But the soldiers will ask questions, and Naraku, and—"

"So I'll come after sunset." Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha eagerly. "You'll visit too, right?"

Inuyasha bit the inside of his cheek. "I'll visit once this dies down. Until then…" His puppy dog ears wilted, showing just how disappointed he really was with the arrangement.

"I wouldn't want you getting in trouble over me, Inuyasha," Jinenji said quietly, looking behind him as if the guards were approaching. "And sunset? But at sunset, I ring the evening mass, and after that, I ring the vespers, and—"

Kagome knew that he was babbling, so she did the best logical thing she could think of - she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek gently, pulling back to give him a wide smile.

"—but do what you want, Kagome," Jinenji said quickly, a small smile forming on his face. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow upwards at Kagome, who either didn't see it or ignored it.

Suddenly remembering, Inuyasha reached into his shirt and pulled a talisman out of a inner pocket and handed it to Kagome. "I only have one, but if either of you need sanctuary, this will show you the way."

Kagome stared at it curiously. It was shaped in a pointed oval, with woven strings of blue, red, white, and black making a strange pattern onto it. She pulled it over her head, hiding it underneath her tunic. "You said it would show you the way…?"

Inuyasha smiled, and Jinenji was shocked at seeing it - mostly because it was very similar to the smile his friend Kikyo had when she smiled at Jinenji in the tent. Had it really been earlier today? It seemed so long ago.

"Just gotta remember this: When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand." Inuyasha nodded his head at both of them, before tying his bandana back to cover his ears. Kagome made a small sound of protest before she pursed her lips together, embarrassed. It wasn't her place to tell him what to do, even if she _really_ didn't want him to cover those cute ears of his…

"The guards are coming back. I've gotta go." He looked at them for only a moment longer before he took off running, white hair disappearing into the darkness.

Kagome turned to look at Jinenji, smiling apologetically. "I have to go too, but I promise I'll come back. Take care of yourself, Jinenji." She squeezed his arm before taking off too, with only a half-demon's loving gaze following her every movement.

 _I swear it must be heaven's light…_


	3. Hellfire

Jinenji climbed back up the cathedral slowly, his mind racing. His hand burned pleasantly from Inuyasha tracing over it trying to find monster lines, and the cheek Kagome had kissed was tingling.

For the first time, Jinenji felt what it was like to have real, actual friends. But even then…he could only see Kagome's beaming face.

Walking into his room, he slowly looked around. The moonlight hit his mobile, making it shine and glitter in the relative darkness. In fact, his entire table was bathed in a soft silver light. Jinenji slowly sat down on his stool, grabbing a big piece of wood and a cutting knife and began to scrape the wood off.

First, he began to make Kikyo as how he remembered her - the lean figure, with her long hair reaching her waist, and a soft smile on her face as Jinenji captured her in mid-twirl. He painted her to the last detail, even the gold earring, and gently put her down to dry. Then he began to make Inuyasha, as how Jinenji wanted to see him - his bandana wrapped around his wrist, his puppy dog ears shown, and every claw on his fingers and toes shown. Jinenji actually smiled as he painted Inuyasha's raised eyebrow and amused smirk.

Jinenji reached for the last bit of wood before he stopped, sighing. He got off the stool to walk towards the edge of his window, staring down at the relative darkness of Paris. There was a couple walking by Notre Dame that seemed to have linked arms, and were looking at each other - Jinenji assumed they were smiling at each other.

 _"So many times out there, I've watched a happy pair of lovers walking in the night,"_ Jinenji sung softly, his voice raspy but with a nice tone to it that would make you want to listen more. He turned his back to the window, walking back to the table and stared down at his two most recent wooden figures. He remembered how they had had their backs pressed against each other, and how they danced together so flawlessly.

 _"They had a kind of glow around them,"_ Jinenji rested his hands on the table, almost wanting to sigh. _"It almost looked like heaven's light…"_

 _"I knew I'd never know that warm and loving glow, though I might wish with all my might…"_ Jinenji picked up the wooden statue he had made of himself. He had used two blue buttons for his eyes, but it had been obvious that he hadn't spent much time making it - he had made it as ugly as he felt that he was.

 _"No face as hideous as my face…"_ Jinenji slowly touched his face as he stared at his statue, before holding it up for it to be hit fully by the moonlight. _"…was ever meant for heaven's light."_ And as he sung, he slowly hid the statue from the light, putting it back down on the table. He sighed before a small smile grew on his face.

 _"But suddenly an angel has smiled at me,"_ he sung, happier, as he picked up the last block of wood and began to scrap it away with the knife, trying to capture her small body and her beaming smile. _"And kissed my cheek without a trace of fright."_

 _"I dare to dream that she might even care for me."_ Jinenji's smile widened as he painted Kagome's bright grey eyes and her equally bright smile, ignoring her armor as he drew her in the tunic and leggings she had been wearing when she was with him. He gently placed the finished statue next to his own statue, his heart thumping widely at the mere thought.

He jumped up to where the bells were, grabbing the rope and beginning to ring them for the evening mass, his eyes sparkling in the reflection of the bells. The tower, usually so dark, was brightly lit by the moonlight.

 _"And as I ring these bells tonight, my cold dark tower seems so bright…I swear it must be heaven's light…"_ he finished slowly, his mind only on how _happy_ he felt, and not thinking enough of anything else.

###

Naraku woke up with a pounding headache and a dead fireplace.

Groaning, the judge sat up from his uncomfortable position - he had fallen asleep still slumped over the cold floor of one of his rooms in the Palace of Justice. He looked around warily, nearly glaring at the dark fireplace and hating the tall walls surrounding him.

 _"Then tell me, Maria, why I see her dancing there? Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul?"_

 _"I feel her, I see her - the sun caught in her raven hair is blazing in me out of all control!"_

 _"Like fire! Hellfire! This fire in my skin - this burning desire is turning me to sin!"_

 _"It's not my fault! I'm not to blame! It is the gypsy girl, the witch who sent this flame! It's not my fault! If it's God's plan, he made the Devil so much stronger than a man!"_

 _"Hellfire…Dark fire…Now gypsy, it's your turn - choose me or your pyre…Be mine or you will burn!"_

 _"God have mercy on her…God have mercy on me…But she will be mine, or she will burn!"_

 _"Minister Naraku, the gypsy has escaped."_

Naraku cursed, remembering everything that happened last night. This is what drinking caused you - hallucinations of the beautiful Kikyo in his fireplace, and somehow her half-demon _friend_ had escaped from the cathedral.

 _The half-breed escaped._

The judge gritted his teeth together tightly, wishing to have something in his hands to destroy to release his anger. That half-breed was his only way to find her! He had been his _bait!_ If he hadn't escaped, Kikyo would've gotten worried and left to find him - directly falling into Naraku's grasp.

Naraku scowled and stood up, brushing himself off. He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, making quite the nearby guards jump in fright. He ignored them, stalking towards his awaiting carriage. He had left strict instructions to his Captain of the Guard to have a group of soldiers waiting for him in front of Notre Dame in the morning, originally to post guards to look out for Kikyo's arrival - but now, it was to find a _stupid half-breed bastard—_

Naraku cursed internally the entire carriage ride, his hangover only getting worse with his aggravation. When they arrived and Naraku got out, Kagome was waiting for him decked in her gold armor.

Naraku would never know how a _woman_ got so high up the ranks, but he wasn't complaining as long as she was loyal and obeyed his every command.

"Morning, sir." Kagome was never a good liar, but she had an excellent poker face that hid all of the hatred she held for the man in front of her. She had heard about him on the front lines, and she disapproved highly of what he did - but orders were orders, and until he hurt someone…

Naraku rubbed his forehead, moaning before shaking it off. "What are you standing there for? Find the gypsies - either one works, just find them!"

###

Kagome's patience was running out. And that was saying something, considering she had to build a high tolerance level to deal with all the sexist, misogynistic generals and soldiers and basically any man in the army.

So far, Naraku had arrested, bribed, and nearly drowned groups of Romani people that they had found in hiding, trying to get them to tell him where Inuyasha or Kikyo was. They refused to say a word. Kagome had to admit that she was impressed by their loyalty - it just wasn't Inuyasha.

 _Inuyasha…_

As they journeyed to the miller's home just on the outskirts of the city, Kagome put a hand over her armor - right over where the talisman was, under her armor and under her tunic. She had been unable to have a decent amount of sleep last night, worried sick over Inuyasha and Jinenji and Kikyo, the woman who had been dancing next to Inuyasha in the festival. She didn't want anything to happen to them - especially not the dog-eared half-demon.

Inuyasha was just so different from all the other men she had to deal with. When they had fought, he had taken her seriously - he didn't go easy on her because she was a woman, he had fought with all of his skills because he saw her as a soldier. He didn't tolerate cheating and stealing, and he earned his money fairly. He was protective of those close to him, and despite his rough exterior, he was kind to those most in need, like Jinenji.

And more than that…there was just something _there_ , in their playful banter and his dry sarcasm. It was in the way she couldn't keep her eyes off of him whenever she saw him. It was in the way he had used his demon speed to catch her and called her clumsy. It was in the way he recognized her flaws and she wordlessly recognized his.

Achilles neighed, sensing his master's uneasy, and Kagome gently pet his neck. "Achilles, heel," she murmured in what she hoped to be a soothing manner. He did so, but still kept a fair distance between him and Naraku's own horse.

Finally arriving at the windmill, Kagome got off Achilles easily and knocked on the door politely as Naraku got off his own horse. It was as the door was opening that Naraku stalked over and kicked it open, sending the miller who had opened it flying to the ground. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw the wife holding a baby and a son rush to him, which is why she entered to stand guard - to make sure Naraku didn't do anything to this innocent family.

Just looking at them made her ache for her own family, living in a small town a day's journey from here. They reminded her so much of her caring mother, of her scaredy-cat little brother Sota, and her eccentric but well-meaning grandfather….

"We found this gypsy talisman on your property. Have you been harboring gypsies?" Naraku spat out, and Kagome's left hand curled tightly into her right hand. _Patience, Kagome, patience…_

"O-our home is always open to the weary t-traveler," the miller stuttered, still on his knees as he pleaded with Naraku. "Have mercy, my lord!"

Naraku turned his nose up at them, disgusted at the sight of them. "I am placing you and your family under house arrest until I get to the bottom of this." He turned around and began to leave the home, Kagome following, before he turned around at the doorway to say, "If what you say is true, you are innocent and you have nothing to fear."

"But we are innocent—!" the miller desperately pleaded, lunging for the door just as Kagome was closing it. She closed her eyes tightly, hating what she was doing, but what more could she do? Naraku was doing everything a judge was supposed to do in situations like these, there was nothing she could protest against a mere house arrest—

"Burn it."

Kagome whipped her head to look at Naraku, in disbelief. "What?!" she choked out.

"Until it smolders." Naraku got onto his dark horse, looking down at Kagome. "That family are nothing more than traitors and must be made examples of." He grabbed a torch from a nearby guard and handed it to her. Kagome barely noticed that she grabbed it, too in shock in what she was being ordered to do.

"With all due respect, sir, I was not trained to murder the innocent," she nearly growled out, grey eyes flashing in anger.

"But you were trained to follow orders, were you not, Captain?" Naraku raised an eyebrow as his red eyes stared at her, daring her disobey.

This was when Kagome's patience ran out.

She looked at the house, remembering the small family that reminded her so much of her own, and with that in mind she doused the torch in water, turning to look at Naraku angrily. "Not when it means going back on my vows to protect the innocent, I don't."

Naraku growled at her. "You insolent bitch!" He grabbed another torch from the guard and raised it upwards, setting the windmill on fire himself. "When you need something done right, it's better to do it yourself."

Kagome gasped as the mill was set on fire quickly, and jumped away when the front part of the house fell to the ground, showing the old age of the wood. She looked up at hearing the crying of the baby inside, and didn't hesitate when she jumped through the window. She found the family huddled together, the parents trying to keep their children from breathing the smoke. Kagome rushed to them, grabbing the two children and rushing to the door, kicking it down with her steel boots. The parents followed her out of the crumbling house, and she gently handed them back their children.

The crowd that had gathered to watch rushed forward, accepting the family as a way to protect them. Kagome was too preoccupied with making sure they were okay to notice the guards approaching her from behind before the hilt of a sword hit her on her neck.

She tumbled to the ground, her helmet falling off, and could only grunt when she was grabbed by the arms, keeping her on the ground. She looked up to Naraku, eyes burning with hatred. The clip that kept her black hair fell, letting tendrils of hair into her eyes and frame her angry face.

Naraku's eye twitched, noticing for the first time the similarities between Kagome and the woman he was trying so hard to find.

He didn't enjoy noticing how alike they were in appearance. Not even in the slightest.

"The sentence for insubordination is death." Naraku handed the guard a sharp sword meant specifically for execution. "Such a pity - you threw away such a promising career."

Kagome glared up at him. "Consider it my highest honor, _sir_."

She was ready to accept her death, refusing to break eye contact with Naraku. She didn't regret anything, except…

The talisman seemed to burn against her chest, and the burn matched her heartache.

 _Inuyasha…_

Naraku was suddenly bucked off of his horse, falling to the ground. The sword clattered to the ground when something that seemed like a rather big pebble hit the guard in the head. Kagome quickly pushed herself to her feet, and kicked down the other guard grabbing her.

She turned around, ready to jump onto the horse, when she froze. Already on the horse, easily controlling it, was the man she had been so worried about, the one that she wanted to keep safe - that infuriating, wonderful man…

 _…I wanted to see you._

Inuyasha cursed and met her eyes. "What are you waitin' for?! Get on!"

Kagome unfroze and ran forward, grabbing onto the saddle. Inuyasha, apparently impatient, grabbed her waist and hoisted her up onto the horse. She was placed directly in front of him, not even facing forward. Her eyes widened as Inuyasha took off, making the horse gallop across the bridge. It was just a blur of color, with Naraku yelling, and a blur of arrows flying past them. Suddenly, Inuyasha gasped, clutching over.

Kagome soon saw why. There, with its tip just poking out of his shirt, was an arrowhead. And sticking out off his back was the rest of the shaft.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome caught Inuyasha as he slumped over, groaning, and looked over his shoulder. Catching up were soldiers on horse, getting ready to shoot another arrow. Looking around, she grabbed onto him tightly and took a deep breath before pushing off of the horse and falling to the river below.

 _Blam!_

There was darkness for a split second, before it slowly got clearer, and Kagome began to panic when she realized how her armor was making her - and thus Inuyasha - sink to the bottom. Quickly taking the armor off with help of the force of water, she grabbed Inuyasha's arm and began to swim to the top.

Black dots began to swim in her vision. Inuyasha wasn't exactly light, even underwater, and her lungs were starting to demand air. But she couldn't just give up - not until she knew Inuyasha was going to be okay for taking an arrow meant for her.

Kagome could _feel_ herself falling unconscious, but she fought against it with all her might. She was nothing but stubborn, after all, and she refused to faint until Inuyasha had the air he needed.

In her hazy sight, she saw something approach. Turning, Kagome could've sworn she saw an angel swimming towards her…only angels didn't wear red.

A pale hand grabbed her arm and helped her swim up. Reaching the surface, Kagome gasped for air, hair blasted to her face. She quickly pulled Inuyasha up, letting him have air too. Funny, it seemed easier to pull him up…The arrow was no longer in him, though she couldn't tell if that was going to help the wound. She grew worried when he didn't seem to be breathing, before a hand that wasn't hers slapped him straight across the face.

Kagome quickly looked around, spotting who she had mistaken to be an angel. With her straight black hair practically molded to her back, and brown eyes looking at him worriedly, Kikyo slapped Inuyasha again and sighed in relief as he coughed out water, groaning afterwards.

"K-K-Kikyo?" Kagome shivered. Now it all made sense - Kikyo and Inuyasha had been watching them from afar, disguised, and when Kagome was about to be executed Inuyasha couldn't help it and saved her. Kikyo was probably responsible for making Naraku fall off his horse.

Kikyo looked at her, brown eyes analyzing her for a moment before relaxing, apparently taking pity on how awful Kagome probably looked. "Inuyasha said you were someone to be trusted. Kagome, wasn't it?"

She nodded shakily, grabbing onto Inuyasha tightly. "W-we need to get his wound checked…"

"Who's going to check a half-demon's wound?" Kikyo asked bitterly, beginning to swim to the shore, and Kagome helped her, pulling him out.

Kagome looked back into the city, eyes drawn to the cathedral that she could see even from all the way here. "I know someone who would do so gladly."

###

Naraku growled as he watched more Romani people refuse to say a single word about Kikyo. Inuyasha was as good as dead, but Naraku wasn't ready to rule him out just yet. Half-breeds had the tendency to not stay dead when they were supposed to. Kagome, on the other hand, was most _definitely_ dead. No human wearing heavy armor could've survived _that_.

And if Kikyo had been near the windmill…

"Sir!" A full-demon soldier that he had momentarily replaced as the Captain of the Guard approached him. "We've looked everywhere - no sign of either the gypsy girl or the boy."

Naraku growled and threw the talisman he had been clutching into the guard's face. "Keep searching!"

The guard ran off, and Naraku rubbed one temple. "I had the entire cathedral surrounded," he snarled to himself. "Guards at every door. There was no way he could've escaped, unless…" He slowly looked up towards the cathedral.

The remains of the handkerchief Kikyo had wrapped around his neck during the festival burned in his pocket and his eyes narrowed as he remembered who exactly had met Inuyasha before he was locked up in Notre Dame.

###

Jinenji stared out the window of his room, watching how the entire city of Paris burned… looking for just two people.

"I hope Inuyasha and Kikyo are okay," he whispered to himself. "And Kagome…"

Though Inuyasha and Kikyo were the ones that Naraku wanted arrested and probably dead, it was Kagome that Jinenji really worried about. It made his stomach turn at how awful that sounded, because why would he worry more over a soldier than two fugitives? But he couldn't change how he felt - Kagome had to pretend she didn't know anything about Inuyasha's escape, and had to spend the entire day with Naraku. What would happen if Naraku found out about her? Would he try to kill her? His heart ached at the very thought of it.

"Jinenji?"

It was only a whisper, so quiet that Jinenji passed it off as just imagining things.

"Jinenji?" This time it was louder, and tinged with worry. Jinenji turned, not daring to believe it.

But there she was. Without her armor once again, only in her tunic and a cloak as she walked into the dark room, looking around worriedly.

"Kagome!" Jinenji didn't even bother with the stairs, only jumped down and rushed towards her. "I knew you'd come back!"

Kagome smiled in relief and rushed forward to hug him. He hugged her back hesitantly, not fully understanding how it worked. Why did her clothes feel so stiff and cold? Paris was _literally_ burning outside!

"You've already done so much, Jinenji." Kagome pulled back to look up at him, her grey eyes filled with worry. "But I have to ask for your help for one more thing."

"Anything!"

Kagome rushed to the door and gestured for someone to come in. And then, there was the woman he had only seen a handful of times at the festival, but had done as many kind things as Inuyasha had - Kikyo, wearing a hooded cloak. She was biting her lip, and Kagome went to help her pull in an unconscious man…a man with long, silver hair.

"Inuyasha?" Jinenji sniffed the air delicately, smelling the wound on his chest and back and how the makeshift bandage they had made wasn't holding in the blood. "What happened to him?"

Kagome bit her lips, and to Jinenji's horror, tears began to fill up her eyes. "It's all my fault - I refused to follow one of Naraku's orders, and I was going to be killed - and he, he and Kikyo saved me - he took an arrow meant for me—"

"Shhh, Kagome," Kikyo said in a soothing tone that instantly made Jinenji relax, and for Kagome's tears to slowly dry up. "It's not your fault. Inuyasha isn't one to do the logical thing. Besides, that family owes you their lives." Kikyo then looked up at Jinenji. "Inuyasha told me about you. I'm sorry I couldn't meet you properly sooner - but we can do that later. I made a makeshift bandage to stop the blood, but we've been lugging him around with help from Kagome's horse for a while. Kagome mentioned that you're a healer?"

Jinenji looked between her and Inuyasha, mentally calculating what herbs he could use for the injury. Seeing that he had all of them at hand, he gestured to them to follow him. "This way, we can use my bed."

Kagome and Kikyo quickly followed him, and put him down on the cot Jinenji used to sleep in. Briskly, Kikyo took off Inuyasha's shirt as Jinenji gathered the herbs needed and began to mash them together. All Kagome could do was grab onto Inuyasha's hand and watch helplessly as Jinenji gave soft orders to Kikyo and her following them.

Watching Kikyo, Kagome began to connect the dots on how Inuyasha and Kikyo clicked - they were practically sister and brother. When one was in trouble, the other did everything they could to help them. Inuyasha had sent Kikyo to the Court of Miracles to protect her from Naraku, and Kikyo followed Jinenji's orders to heal him. They didn't fall into despair like Kagome does - they did the exact opposite and actually did something productive.

"Kagome, can you pour that alcohol onto the wound? It'll kill the remaining bacteria." Jinenji began to put away the used herbs, looking at his hands as he did so. "My hands are too big…Kikyo, are you any good with stitches?"

Kikyo looked at her shaking hands. Up until now she had been surpassing her fear for Inuyasha, but now her hands just couldn't stop _shaking_. "Right now, I'm afraid I'd just undo all of the work you just did," she admitted.

"I can do it after I pour the alcohol." Kagome's voice cracked and she cleared it. "I've been trained to hold my hands steady while holding a sword, and a bow and arrow - I've also done stitches during war to other soldiers. I can do it."

Kikyo stared at the young woman curiously, eyes flickering to Inuyasha, before she nodded and accepted Jinenji handing her the needle and thread to hand over to Kagome. "Take care of him," she murmured to her as she did so.

Kagome looked up at Kikyo in shock, before slowly nodding. She let go of Inuyasha's hand to grab the alcohol bottle next to her, and when she turned back to him Inuyasha was stirring, groaning.

"Kagome?" he muttered, eyes half-open as he struggled to sit up. Kikyo backed away slowly, her lips twitching upwards into a smile as she walked out momentarily to stand next to Jinenji, who hadn't stepped near them either.

Kagome didn't have time to be relieved that he was okay before she pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh, shh, shh. You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move." She took her finger away to open the bottle of alcohol and pour it over his wound.

Inuyasha winced, but didn't say a word to complain about the burn. "Where…?"

"We're at Jinenji's. He healed you - I'm just disinfecting the wound and giving you stitches." Kagome smiled at him slightly, putting the bottle down and pulling out the needle and thread. "You had us worried. Kikyo slapped you to get you to cough out all the water you swallowed."

" _Keh,_ it's not the first nor the last time she's gonna do that," Inuyasha scoffed, eyes now fully open as he stared at Kagome. "'Sides, I was more worried 'bout you."

"Me?" Kagome fought the urge to look at him as she got to work on his stitches. Even as she did it, she could practically _see_ the skin mending itself back together, so maybe after a day or two the stitches could come out.

"Yeah…had to pretend ya didn't know me around Naraku. Don't trust him. Then he tried to kill you…" Inuyasha growled at just the thought, and Kagome giggled softly. Inuyasha lowered his head to look at her work, and then murmured, "That family owes you their lives, ya know."

"Funny, that's exactly what Kikyo said." Kagome looked up at him quickly to smile, but all he did was wince at the next stitch.

"Yeah, well, Kikyo's usually right," Inuyasha admitted, chuckling softly. He stared at her, drinking in the way her face glowed in the candlelight, and how her raven hair framed her face. "Don't tell her I said that ,though. She'd never let me live it down."

Kagome laughed, not even bothering telling him that Kikyo was just a few feet away. The medicine was probably dulling his half-demon senses to tell by himself. "I won't," she promised.

Inuyasha looked back down at her hands working on the stitches steadily, and murmured, "You're either the bravest soldier I've ever met, or the craziest. Helping a fugitive like this…"

"Ex-soldier, remember?" Kagome bit away at the thread to break it, smoothing it down. "You're lucky - that arrow almost pierced your heart, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha laughed roughly, his mind swimming in tiredness and filled with Kagome's nice smell. "Ya sure about that?" He pressed her hand down onto his chest, directly over his beating heart, which began to go faster the longer her hand was on his chest.

Kagome's eyes snapped up to stare directly at him. Did he really mean…did he also feel what she felt…?

Inuyasha's cheeks colored red, but he stubbornly refused to break eye contact with her. Slowly, Kagome lowered her head, and Inuyasha raised his to meet her halfway. And as their lips met, another half-demon's heart broke.

Jinenji turned away from the sight, tears welling up into his eyes. The entire time, he had tried to deny it, tried to think that he was just imagining things. That it couldn't be possible, that _they_ didn't feel that way towards each other… But, somehow, even though the sight tore his insides apart, he turned back to look at them with tears running down his face as Inuyasha pulled away to rest against the pillows, only half conscious. Kagome cupped his cheek into her hand, and he raised one of his own to cradle it. Their eyes never left the other.

 _"I knew I'd never know, that warm and loving glow, though I might wish with all my might…No face as hideous as my face, was ever meant for heaven's light…"_

Jinenji knew, then and there, that he could never have with Kagome what Inuyasha had with her.

Kikyo, her heart soaring at the thought that someone else could also love Inuyasha (though differently from the love Kikyo felt for him), turned away to give the couple their privacy, before catching a glimpse of Jinenji's tears. Quickly connecting the dots, Kikyo took off her black wrap, standing up on her tiptoes to clean up Jinenji's face. Jinenji stared at her, almost afraid of what she'd think for crying over her friend's happiness, but she just gave him a soft smile and put the wrap back on to put a hand on his arm.

Jinenji accepted the comfort, closing his eyes, before his ears twitched at hearing something. Rushing to the window, the horse half-demon stared down out the window with a pounding heart. Blood roared in his ears. He turned to look at his three guests, eyes wide with fear.

"Naraku's coming."


	4. Sanctuary

Inuyasha and Kikyo exchanged horrified looks at Jinenji's words. As if communicating only through their eyes, they nodded at each other slightly. Kikyo rushed forward and helped Inuyasha to sit up, tugging his shirt back on and tying his belt back around his waist.

"Wait - his injury—!" Kagome began to protest, grabbing onto Inuyasha's hand desperately. The fear her eyes made Jinenji's heart hurt and something ugly flooded to himself, and for a split second he wished that Inuyasha's wounds would open back up.

And then he felt _horrible_ about feeling that way, because before Jinenji had met Kagome, Inuyasha had been there to help him. He didn't deserve to die just because of this ugly, green feeling…

"Kagome." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's face with his hands, gently, as if afraid to hurt her with his claws. Kagome took a deep breath, staring at him directly into his eyes. Her face relaxed, but not her body - her body was still in full alert with the danger of Naraku coming.

Inuyasha didn't say a word, just kissed her forehead while he blushed bright red and then looked directly towards Jinenji. "Keep her safe," he ordered.

"Inuyasha—"

Inuyasha let out a soft _"keh"_ as he let go of Kagome, grabbing Kikyo around the waist and sniffing the air. "Where should we go?"

"Down the south tower steps!" Jinenji ushered them there, looking around fearfully. "Kagome, hide!"

Kagome's eyes widened as she remembered that _oh yeah, I'm a fugitive too now_ and she looked around for a place to hide. She saw the long cloth covering the table, and dove to stay under it. She grabbed the flowers she had seen on the table, frantically shaking them to disguise her smell.

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome worriedly before he picked up Kikyo, ignoring her cries that he still wasn't well enough. "Jinenji," he called to the half-demon that was rushing to fix up his room. When Jinenji turned around, Inuyasha hesitated before he said, "Thank you for…ya know." Jinenji smiled, and Kikyo froze at hearing Inuyasha actually say _thank_ you. Then he turned more serious. "Promise me you'll keep Kagome safe."

Jinenji, for once, kept eye contact with Inuyasha as he swore, "I promise that she'll be okay."

Inuyasha gave him one quick nod gratefully, and Jinenji's stomach plummeted at seeing just how grateful he was for this promise. Inuyasha truly cared about Kagome, just like he did. He wasn't jealous of Jinenji, like he was of him…and why should he? Inuyasha, though a half-demon, was _handsome_. He wasn't considered the ugliest face in all of Paris.

Inuyasha began to jump down with Kikyo, just like Jinenji had done so for Kagome, and Jinenji only had time to rush back to the table, fiddling with the wooden figures he had made the night before when Naraku appeared at the doorway.

"M-master! I didn't know you were coming!" Jinenji's voice was weak, nothing at all like Inuyasha's sure voice. _Why? Why couldn't I be more like him?_

"I'm never too busy to share a meal with you, dear boy." Naraku's smile was like poison as he gracefully sat down in the only nice chair in Jinenji's room - the chair reserved just for the minister. "I brought a little treat for you." He put the basket on the table, taking off his hat. There was a few silent, tense moments before Naraku cleared his throat slightly.

Jinenji jumped, before realizing he had yet to set the table. Jinenji rushed around to grab the plates and goblets, fumbling with his big, _dumb_ hands and wincing at every broken wooden shelf. _I'll have to remake them soon…_

"Something troubling you?" Naraku asked, a thin eyebrow raised. Jinenji shook his head quickly as he put the plates down in front of them and nervously sat in his own chair, hunched over so greatly that Naraku actually had to tilt his head _down_ instead of _up_ to look at his face.

"Oh, I think there is." Naraku pulled out cluster of grass and placed them on his plate, and Jinenji stared at them. He had learned at a young age that food was sacred, that he was lucky to _have_ food…but right now, his stomach felt too sick to even think about eating.

"I think…" Naraku continued, eyes narrowing at the half-demon who refused to meet his gaze. "…you're hiding something from me, Jinenji."

"W-what? No! Nothing!" Jinenji shook his head quickly, vehemently denying something that he knew was true. But he could never tell his master that - his master would go after Inuyasha and Kikyo, and then Jinenji would be left without the woman who had danced so beautifully and the half-demon who's singing had resonated deep in his soul.

And Kagome would be heartbroken.

"You're not eating, boy." Naraku looked down pointedly at the grapes left untouched on Jinenji's plate. Jinenji quickly began to shovel the grapes into his mouth with his hands, knowing how much Naraku hated it when he did so, but couldn't stop himself. He was terrified of letting something slip, that something bad would happen to Inuyasha and Kikyo because he had been a stupid half-breed…

Naraku did an uncharacteristic dainty sniff at the sight, but looked away and began to look at the wooden figures that Jinenji had on the table. The half-demon had a real talent at crafting, which annoyed Naraku, who thought he shouldn't have a talent for anything other than ringing bells. His eyes caught sight of two new figures - one figure as a man with puppy dog ears, and the other a woman with piercing brown eyes.

Naraku reached out and picked up the Kikyo-figure, eyeing it suspiciously. "This one is new, isn't it, Jinenji?" he asked casually, and Jinenji shrunk back. _I knew I should've put them away…_ he thought mournfully. He had messed up. Of course he did, he couldn't do anything right—

"It's awfully good," Naraku mused, looking at it from every angle. "Looks very much like the gypsy girl. And this one…" He distastefully picked up the Inuyasha one, eyebrows raising as he saw the puppy dog ear with a hoop earring just at the edge of his right ear, half hooked around the actual ear. "Looks like the gypsy half-breed." A pause. "I know." A nasty look crept across his face as his face slowly got angrier, his voice rising as he yelled, "You helped him escape!" He threw the figures back on the table, and they knocked against the single lit candle on the table.

Jinenji cowered away from the now-standing judge, eyes wide in fear. "But I—"

"And now, all Paris is burning because of you!" Naraku pointed at him angrily, his entire body shaking. Jinenji cowered, falling out of his chair, but at this point all he cared about was getting out of Naraku's wrath.

But even still, Jinenji swallowed and murmured, "They were kind to me, master. Inuyasha—"

Naraku began to sweep things off the table, destroying all of the wooden figures Jinenji had taken so long to make. "You idiot! That wasn't kindness, it was cunning!" Naraku, with wild dark hair and equally wild eyes rounded the table and grabbed Jinenji's tunic, shaking him slightly. "They're gypsies! Gypsies aren't capable of real love! Think, boy! Think of your mother!"

Naraku breathed hard as Jinenji stared at him with wide eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. His mother? His mother was one of the Romani people?

Naraku took a deep breath, and slowly let go of Jinenji, brushing himself off and he stood up. It was like he hadn't gone insane for a few short moments, and Jinenji could swear that this was the most afraid of Naraku that he had ever been.

"But what chance could a poor, misshapen child like you have against their heathen treachery?" Naraku's words might as well be a dagger going through his heart. "Well, never you mind, Jinenji. She will be out of our lives soon enough." Funnily enough, Naraku seemed to be talking to himself with the last statement. "I will free you from her evil spell. She - and her _dog_ \- will torment you no longer." He added the dog statement hastily when he remembered that there was more than one Romani that he was dealing with. Pulling out a dagger, Naraku stabbed the Kikyo-figure's torso, and then Inuyasha. He dangled them over the lit flame, setting them on fire.

"W-what do you mean?" Jinenji whispered, his heart pounding as he stared in horror at the burning Inuyasha and Kikyo figures. Somehow he could actually _see_ them - the real them, burning to death for doing the right thing.

"I know where their hideout is." Naraku flicked the figures off his dagger carelessly, letting them burn to ash on the floor next to Jinenji. He put back on his judge's hat, straightening himself out as he prepared to leave. "And tomorrow, at dawn, I attack with a thousand men."

And with that, Naraku left, and Jinenji stared at the burning figures in shock.

Jinenji didn't notice was Naraku's smug smirk as he left.

As soon as she was sure that Naraku was gone, Kagome came out from under the table, visibly shaking. She rushed to Jinenji, kneeling next to him, checking for injuries. "Are you okay? Did Naraku hurt you?"

Jinenji shook his head, not saying a word. His mind was running too fast to process what was at the forefront. His mother was a Romani? Naraku had found the Court of Miracles? Inuyasha and Kikyo would be dead at dawn?

"We have to find the Court of Miracles, before daybreak." Kagome took out the talisman Inuyasha had given her, staring at it as it rested on her palm. "If Naraku gets there first…" Kagome trailed off, but the meaning was left hanging in the air. She shook her head, and looked at him. "Come on, Jinenji."

Jinenji shook his head again, refusing to meet her gaze. "I can't."

"What?" Kagome leaned back in shock, disbelief written all over her face. Still, Jinenji refused to meet her eyes, knowing that as soon as he did, she'd see everything - and he didn't want her to see the ugly jealousy still resting in his soul at the idea that Kagome would go after Inuyasha.

"Naraku's my master, I can't disobey him again." Jinenji turned away from her, hiding his face into his knees. "I'm sorry."

"Jinenji, they stood up for you!" Kagome put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him - but it was nothing like what Naraku did. Naraku shook him like a rag doll, while Kagome did it gently, as if trying to snap him out of a daze but still not wanting to hurt him. "They're our friends! Inuyasha—"

"I can't face them like this. I just can't." Jinenji shook his head repeatedly, trying to ignore her pleading. He could only imagine how hurt she must feel at his refusal to help, but she didn't give up.

"Face them like _what?_ You helped Inuyasha before, why can't you do it now?" Kagome shook his shoulder just a bit harder, desperate for an answer. "Jinenji—!"

"Because a part of me doesn't _want_ to save him!" Jinenji exploded, turning to look at her with mournful tears running down his face. Kagome leaned away from him, shock the only thing he could see in her eyes.

"…I don't understand," Kagome whispered, eyes searching Jinenji's face, trying to see what he meant. Why wouldn't Jinenji want to save Inuyasha? And Kikyo? They were his friends! They helped him, and he helped them! What changed?

Jinenji slouched over, looking at the floor instead of looking at her. "Inuyasha…Inuyasha is handsome," he murmured, tapping his big fingers on the ground nervously. "He has Kikyo. And…and he has _you_." Jinenji's voice broke at the last word, and he looked away completely, staring at the dying fire on the floor.

" _Me?_ What do I have to do with- oh. _Oh._ " Kagome's eyes widened in understanding, and Jinenji solemnly nodded. There. The truth was out. Now she could reject him properly.

"A monster like me is too hideous to love," he said mournfully, emptily, as if repeating something that had been said over and over - and knowing his master, probably was. But Kagome's understanding was soon replaced by a sympathetic anger, and she stood up and glared down at him with sympathy in her eyes.

"Jinenji, I'm sorry I don't return your feelings," she said slowly, before her hands curled into fists. "But just because I…I care deeply about Inuyasha you're going to let him _die?_ That's unacceptable! I don't _owe_ you my love, Jinenji, and Inuyasha and Kikyo and their people don't deserve to die because you're _jealous!"_

Jinenji looked at her guiltily. "I don't _want_ to feel this, Kagome, but it's just—" The familiar feeling of envy was sitting on his chest, only amplified now because he had met someone, and she didn't return his feelings. And it was ugly, and awful, but Jinenji just couldn't _stop._

Kagome looked away from him, tears stinging into her eyes. "What if," she said slowly, "Inuyasha was the hidden bellringer, and you were the one dancing on the streets. And everything that's happened now was going on, and I fell in love with you while he was in love with me. And then Inuyasha was faced with the decision you're facing now. Would he just let you die because I had feelings for you?"

Jinenji's eyes widened as he considered her words with a sick feeling in his stomach. Inuyasha wouldn't have let that deter him - he would've saved him if their roles were reversed. He would've given up the world to make sure Kagome was happy, even if it meant that she was with another.

And with that thought in mind, Jinenji felt like throwing up. What had he allowed this green monster to do to him? Inuyasha didn't deserve to die. Kikyo didn't deserve to die. _None of them_ _deserved to die._ And he was going to let it happen?

Kagome, misinterpreting Jinenji's silence, deflated in disappointment, and turned away from him. "Well, I'm not going to sit by and watch Naraku massacre innocent people. You do what you think is right, Jinenji. I'm going to warn Inuyasha and Kikyo." And with that, she began to run down the stairs, heading outside to start the search.

Jinenji stared at her in shock, before shaking himself out of his daze. What was his waiting for? Inuyasha and Kikyo were his friends! Kagome was right, Kagome was right about everything - they needed to be warned!

He grabbed his cloak and put it on, and jumped over the edge of Notre Dame, going down the side of the cathedral to go to the ground. Following Kagome's scent, he followed her path and dropped in front of the doorway just as she arrived to it.

"Kagome, I'm coming with you," Jinenji said quickly, jumping down to land on the ground.

The relief in Kagome's face could practically be touched. "I'm so glad you changed your mind! I'm sorry I yelled at you, I was just—"

"No, I deserved it." Jinenji shook his head ruefully. "You were right. Inuyasha…Inuyasha cares about you as much as you do about him. I want to be happy for you, but I can't if he's dead."

Kagome put her hands to her mouth, a few grateful tears falling down her face. She threw herself onto Jinenji in a hug, holding him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Jinenji looked down at her and awkwardly pat her head, not knowing what to do. Just because he was getting more hugs lately didn't mean he knew how to deal with them.

Kagome pulled away and rubbed at her face, looking very much like a small girl. She took off the talisman, letting it dangle in the air. "We have to figure out what this talisman means."

Jinenji stared at it as Kagome looked at it, analyzing it. "Must be some sort of code," she decided. "Maybe it's Arabic. No, no, not Arabic. Maybe it's ancient Greek…"

 _"Just gotta remember this: When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand."_

And Jinenji finally saw what Inuyasha meant.

"It's the city," he murmured, too quiet for Kagome's human ears to properly hear him.

"What? Did you say something, Jinenji?" Kagome looked up at Jinenji curiously.

"It's a map of the city!" Jinenji pointed to the cross on the talisman. "See, here's the cathedral, and the river, and this little dot must be where the Court of Miracles is!"

Kagome squinted her eyes at it, before her eyes lit up in recognition. "I see it now! You're a genius, Jinenji! Let's go!"

###

"The Court of Miracles…is in the cemetery? In a _grave_?" Kagome deadpanned. She had managed to get ahold of Achilles - faithful Achilles, who always found his mistress - and had ridden on him while Jinenji ran next to her. Now Achilles was outside, just at the borders, while she and Jinenji looked at the grave that had the symbol just like the one on the talisman.

Jinenji hopelessly shrugged, looking around at the grave to find a clue. Kagome lit a torch she had found abandoned, and brought it closer to the stone. "There's some writing on it, but it'll take a few minutes to translate—"

Jinenji, noticing a wobbliness to the lid of the grave, pushed it to the side and let it clatter onto the ground, showing a staircase. Kagome laughed and smiled at him when she saw what he did. "Or we can do that. Good job, Jinenji!" She began to walk down the stairs, Jinenji following.

Kagome expected to end up a place that came out of a fairytale, but what she got instead was a partially flooded chamber, with skeletons lining the walls. "This is more like the Court of Ankle Deep Sewage to me," she grumbled, but proceeded onwards. "This must be the old catacombs."

Jinenji said nothing, only sniffed the air. Other than overwhelming bad sewage, he didn't smell anyone else, so he shrugged and followed her.

He failed to notice the skeletons beginning to rise behind him.

The two of them walked in silence for a long while, trying to find the Court of Miracles. Kagome looked around with barely concealed disgust and open suspicion. "This is strange," she murmured. Jinenji's demon hearing picked up the murmur, even though it had been thinking out loud.

"What is strange, Kagome?" Jinenji asked curiously.

"We should have run in to trouble by now." Kagome scrutinized her surroundings distrustfully.

"W-what do you mean?" Jinenji looked around fearfully, getting closer to her to be near a source of warmth.

"You know, a guard, a booby trap…" Kagome explained, and too late she saw movement from her peripheral. All of the sudden, someone blew out their torch, leaving them in darkness.

"...or an ambush," she finished, before grunting at being pushed down to her knees, someone grabbing her arms and wrapping ropes around her, effectively binding her torso and arms. Judging by the grunts next to her, someone had done the same to Jinenji.

Suddenly, the chamber is fully lit up, revealing that they're surrounded by people dressed in skeleton costumes. And there, standing in front of them with a rather uncharacteristic cruel smile on his face, was Miroku.

"Well, well, well." Miroku put his hands on his hips, leaning forward to look at them directly into the eyes. "What have we here?"

"Trespassers!" one of the skeletons yelled, taking off his mask to reveal a Romani human.

"Spies!" another one yelled, pulling his own mask down to glare at them with demonic blue eyes.

"We are not spies!" was all Kagome could yell before one of them tied a handkerchief around her mouth tightly, efficiently gagging her.

"Can't you listen—" Jinenji tried to say before he, too, was gagged.

"Don't interrupt me!" Miroku leaned to them to jab a finger near their face, before going to stand fully and pulling out two unlit torches. "You're very clever to have found our hideaway." Miroku spun one of the torches around, somehow lighting it on fire. "Unfortunately, you won't live to tell the tale." And with an amused cruel sneer, he lit the other torch and began to dance with it.

 _"Maybe you've heard of a terrible place where the scoundrels of Paris collect in a lair,"_ he sung in what could only be described as a melodic chant, leaning towards them as the others fell into following Miroku's lead. Miroku suddenly disappeared, only to go behind them and use two skulls as puppets.

 _"Maybe you've heard of that mythical place called the Court of Miracles - Hello, you're there!"_ Miroku poked his head in between the two of them to smirk at them, before going off again.

 _"Where the lame can walk!"_ A group that had been in crutches and in wooden wheelchairs suddenly stood up, walking to them to leer at them.

 _"And the blind can see!"_ Another group pulled up their various eye patches and bandanas covering their eyes, winking at them as they passed.

Two _real_ skeletons were draped down from the ceiling with string, and Miroku appeared just to chop off their head, singing merrily as he did so, _"But the dead don't talk! So you won't be around to reveal what you've found!"_ Miroku smiled at them so charmingly it was hard to remember that he was threatening them with murder. He jumped away from the crowd of the Romani, climbing up to stand on top of a beam near the ceiling.

 _"We have a method for spies and intruders, rather like hornets protecting their hive!"_ Miroku pointed at them as they were carried by the crowd, before jumping off and settling onto a large Romani's shoulder. _"Here in the Court of Miracles, where it's a miracle if you get out alive!"_

Miroku jumped off to land on the ground, and Kagome and Jinenji took in the sight of the Court of Miracles.

It was a giant space, going on for what seemed to be miles. There were tents everywhere, with things that looked like stolen goods from old homes, and people cooking, with little kids running around. They began to get closer at seeing the mob of people at the entrance.

Miroku rushed onto the stage, gesturing for people to come closer. "Gather around, everybody!" He slid back and fingered the two nooses that were hanging there. "There's good 'noose' tonight!"

The crowd laughed, and Kagome felt sick to her stomach as she and Jinenji were being pushed onto the stage, and then had the nooses placed around their necks.

"We've got a double header! A couple of Naraku's spies!" He gestured to them as they entered, smirking as the crowd booed at them. "And not just any spies - his Captain of the Guard—" He stood next to Kagome and did a mocking military pose, and then slouched over and walked over to Jinenji. "—and his loyal, bell ringing half-demon!"

Unnoticed by most of the crowd, a small girl with brown skin, pure white hair, and shining violet eyes managed to get into the front of the crowd to see what was going on. At seeing who was on the stage, she gasped in recognition and quickly turned around, determined to get the only people that would be able to stop this.

 _"Justice is swift in the Court of Miracles, I am the lawyers and judge all in one!"_ Miroku somehow managed to change clothes quickly, tapping on Kagome's head with a gavel, and she glared at him. _"We like to get the trial over with quickly because it's the sentence that's really the fun!"_ He pulled on the rope that hung around Jinenji's neck, momentarily gagging him. Kagome glared at Miroku and fruitlessly tried to escape the rope tied around her torso and wrists.

"Any last words?" Miroku put a hand to his ear as he pretended that he was listening to them. Any noise that came out of both Kagome and Jinenji were muffled through the gag. Miroku cracked his fingers and said, "That's what they _all_ say. _Now that we've seen all the evidence—"_

And for some reason he pulled out a small, Miroku-puppet, who 'yelled,' "Wait! I object!"

"Overruled!" Miroku pushed his arm down and all it did was make the puppet reappear on the other side.

"I object!"

"Quiet!" Miroku took off his mock-minister hat and slammed it over the puppet, and all the puppet said was "Dang!"

Jinenji and Kagome exchanged glances. This was clearly for the entertainment of the crowd and the Romani children - why else? Was it his way of somehow making the situation humorous?

Miroku, now in his regular clothing, slid over to Kagome and put an arm around her shoulder. _"We find you totally innocent,"_ he sung mournfully, and she rolled her eyes. He went to her other side and 'casually' grabbed her chest, which meant groping her breast. Kagome glared, but he ignored her as he continued, _"Which is the worst crime of all…"_

Suddenly upbeat, both Miroku and the crowd sung, _"So you're going to hang!"_ He jumped over to the lever, and Jinenji shut his eyes tightly just as he was about to pull on it.

"Stop!" two voices yelled - one loud and commanding, the other strong and demanding respect. Miroku looked over to see Inuyasha pushing people away, parting them to rush forward with Kikyo at his side, and the little white-haired girl following them. Inuyasha's bandana was wrapped around his wrist, revealing his puppy dog ears - showing just how comfortable he was in his home.

"Inuyasha! Kikyo!" both Kagome and Jinenji called through their gags, somehow the sounds recognizable enough to understand what they were saying.

"Whaddya think you're doin', lech?" Inuyasha jumped onto the stage easily, while Kikyo lingered behind to pat the girl's head and murmur "Good job, Shiori" before climbing up the stairs, going as quickly as she could to begin to undo Jinenji's ropes.

"They're spies trying to spill our location to Naraku, Inuyasha—" Miroku said impatiently, and all Inuyasha did was punch him on top of the head.

"They're not spies, they're our friends!" Inuyasha went to cut away Kagome's ropes with his claws.

"Why didn't they say so?" Miroku asked innocently, letting go of the lever.

"We did say so!" Jinenji and Kagome cried together as Kikyo took off their gags, carelessly throwing them at Miroku.

"Kagome is the soldier who saved the miller's family, Miroku," Kikyo snapped, throwing the ropes onto the floor of the stage.

" _Feh,_ Jinenji here is the reason I'm not stuck in Notre Dame," Inuyasha added, patting Jinenji's back and glaring at Miroku. "Also, grope Kagome again and I'll kill you myself, bastard."

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo admonished, hitting his arm lightly, but it clearly didn't hurt him as he just continued to glare at Miroku, who stepped away from Kagome with his hands up in surrender.

Kagome ignored this, rushing forward to be able to be seen by the entire crowd. "We came to warn you! Naraku's coming!" The crowd gasped, but all Kagome did was raise her voice more as she continued, "He says he knows where you're hiding, and he's attacking at dawn with a thousand men!"

Kikyo stood next to her, her presence instantly calming the crowd enough to listen. "We must waste no time, then. We must leave immediately! Gather all of your necessities and escape as soon as possible!"

The crowd began to disperse, quickly packing their things. Inuyasha jumped off the stage, helping Kikyo and Kagome off. Kagome, apparently not able to hold herself back any longer, ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"Inuyasha!" She clutched his shirt tightly, finally letting the tears she had been holding back ever since he got injured fall. "I was worried. Are you really okay? You're not hurt?" Her voice was weak, practically whimpering, and Inuyasha's eyes softened.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha looked down at her, his gold eyes only on her. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you all upset."

Kagome pulled herself back slightly and looked up at him, eyes searching his face and for his stitches to make sure he wasn't bleeding. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked again, her voice stronger than before.

"Yeah." Inuyasha put a hand on her back and pulled her into a hug, letting her finish crying against his chest. He closed his eyes and buried his face into her hair, just drinking in the fact that she was _here_. This absolutely insane, absolutely crazy soldier was _here._ And somehow he, who didn't take well to soldiers, found himself caring for her with every second passing.

Jinenji stared at them with a heavy heart, but knew that he had to somehow move on. Even if Kagome didn't love him, that didn't mean she didn't deserve to find someone to be happy with. Even so, that ugly green monster shifted, trying to settle down on his chest.

There was a small touch on Jinenji's wrist, and he looked down to look at Kikyo. She was smiling up at him, with nothing but understanding in her eyes. "You took a terrible risk coming here, Jinenji," she said softly. "It may not exactly show, but we're grateful."

Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha, still holding onto Inuyasha's arm with one hand while the other rubbed at her face. "Jinenji was the one who did most of the work," she admitted. "Without his help, I never would've found my way here."

"Nor would I!"

The four of them whirled around, staring at shock at Naraku, who wore a sinister smirk as soldier after soldier began to run down the steps to grab the Romani. People tried to run and escape, but in panic they were easily caught in swarms. Before they could do anything, Kikyo, Kagome, and Inuyasha were grabbed tightly, while Jinenji was left alone as he stared at Naraku, still in shock.

 _Naraku's here. Naraku attacked before dawn. Naraku lied…_

"After twenty years of searching, the Court of Miracles is mine at last." Naraku, his red eyes alit with a burning fire, walked down the steps towards where Kikyo, Inuyasha, and Kagome were being held by soldiers. Jinenji stepped away in fear from him, but all Naraku did was pat his head.

"Dear Jinenji, I always knew you would someday be of use to me." Naraku smirked at him as he passed, and Jinenji's eyes widened.

 _He told me that he was going to attack at dawn. He knew I was going to warn Inuyasha and Kikyo._ I _led him to them._

Kikyo hadn't made the connection, only growling out, "What are you talking about?"

"Why, he led me right to you, my dear." Naraku caressed Kikyo's cheek, but all she did was lean away and glare at him with hatred in her eyes.

"You're a liar!" Inuyasha fought against his guard, growling. "Touch Kikyo again and I'll—"

"And look what else I've caught in my net," Naraku interrupted, looking over to Inuyasha and Kagome with amused hatred in his eyes. "The half-breed and Captain Kagome, both back from the dead. Another miracle, no doubt." He leaned closer to Kagome, which only made Inuyasha fight against the guards harder. "I shall remedy that."

Kagome growled at him, but all Naraku did was walk away, addressing to everyone in the room. "There will be a little bonfire in the square tomorrow, and you're all invited to attend." Naraku then turned to the soldiers, and ordered, "Lock them up."

Naraku began to walk away, but Jinenji collapsed to his knees and grabbed his cloak. "No, please, master!" he pleaded, but when Naraku turned back to glare at Jinenji, he slowly let the cloak go and put his head on the ground. "No…" he murmured, self-hatred raising in his chest.

"Take him back to the bell tower, and make sure he stays there," Naraku ordered, and when guards grabbed Jinenji's arms, he let them drag him.

 _It's all my fault…_

###

The next morning, the sunrise lit the sky on fire.

The crowd of Parisians fought against the guards in protest, trying to get through. There were Romani in cages, and Kagome was in her very own birdcage. She fought against it, hating the song even more with every second, with her eyes only on the two people tied to the state on the stage at the center.

Both Inuyasha and Kikyo were dressed in white, with nothing on them other than a string tied around Kikyo's midsection to hold the dress together. Inuyasha was growling, glaring at Naraku through the corner of his eyes. Naraku ignored him, only concentrated on Kikyo with lustful eyes.

"The prisoners Kikyo and Inuyasha has been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft. The sentence: death!" Naraku read from a scroll, and cheers went up from the soldiers. The crowd, on the other hand, continued to fight even more in protest.

Kaede opened the door of the cathedral, and gasped at seeing the crowd of people. She immediately walked forward, but her path was blocked by guards. She glared at them with her one good eye, before staring hopelessly at the stage. Kagome couldn't take her eyes off of them, fruitlessly trying to escape even more. Her heart was pounding, adrenaline and fear the only things running through her veins.

Naraku grabbed the lit torch from the executioner, before turning to Kikyo. He leaned close to her and purred, "The time has come, gypsy. You stand upon the brink of the abyss. However, it is not too late. I can save you from the flames of this world, and the next. Choose me…" Naraku smiled cruelly, letting it morph into a scowl as he finished, "…or the fire."

Kikyo glared at him with hateful brown eyes, and spat in his face as her response. Inuyasha roared with laughter, throwing his head back to laugh to the sky. Kikyo nudged Inuyasha's hand, and he stopped, turning his head as much as he could to look at her. Kikyo's hand nudged his again, pinky curling around his, and he understood. He intertwined his fingers with her, giving her a bitter smile.

"Together till the end?"

Kikyo nodded, the relief visible in her eyes. "Together till the end."

Naraku glared at their display, before turning back to the crowd. "The gypsy Kikyo has refused to recant, while the mongrel gypsy Inuyasha laughs in the name of the Lord. These evil witches have put the soul of every citizen of Paris in mortal danger…"

That was all Jinenji had to hear. He turned away from the sound, trying to block it out. His body was covered in chains, connected to the pillars on Notre Dame, right in front of the square. A front row seat to the execution of two of his friends.

And it was all his fault.

 _Come on, Jinenji! Snap out of it! Your friends are down there!_ a voice, similar to Kagome's, was crying in his head.

"It's all my fault," he replied out loud, turning away as if Kagome was actually there, next to him.

 _You gotta break these chains!_ a voice like Inuyasha's barked, and if Inuyasha had really been there, he'd be tugging on them.

"I can't. What difference would it make?" Jinenji snarled quietly to himself, hating himself more with every second. He should've never gone down to the Feast of Fools. Because of his stupid mistake, Inuyasha and Kikyo were going to die.

 _You can't let Naraku win!_ the Kagome-voice cried in disbelief, and all Jinenji did was close his eyes and murmur back, "He already has."

 _So, you're giving up? That's it?_ voice-Inuyasha growled, and Jinenji could just _see_ Inuyasha's disappointed face, a scowl on his face.

 _These chains aren't what's holding you back, Jinenji._ This time it was neither voice-Kagome nor voice-Inuyasha, but a voice eerily like Kikyo's, and that was when Jinenji snapped. He closed his eyes tightly and cried, "Leave me alone!"

The voices went silent, which only made Jinenji feel worse. He closed his eyes tighter, and without the voices distracting him, he could resume listening to Naraku's preaching.

" ...for justice, for Paris, and for their own salvation!" Naraku was saying. Jinenji lifted his face up, rightful anger on his face as the light of the torches hit his face. Standing up slightly, he approached the edge of the edge, and looked down. With acute eyesight, he saw Kikyo and Inuyasha trying to lean against each other as Naraku approached with a torch in his hands.

"It is my duty to send these gypsies back to where they belongs!" Naraku threw the torch into the hay that was littered on the ground around their feet - and the one he threw it at was right in front of Kikyo.

"No!" Jinenji cried, and immediately began to pull against the chains. The pillars began to let out dust as they shook, and the bells began to ring quietly. Jinenji didn't notice just how much strength he was using, but he was shaking the very cathedral. Rocks began to fall from the tower. Chains began to break. Pillars were ripped out with the chains.

But Jinenji didn't notice all of that. All he could concentrate on was Kikyo's harsh coughing and Inuyasha yelling at her to hold on. When he realized he was freed, he shook off the chains on his body, grabbing a nearby piece of rope and wrapping it around a gargoyle's head and jumped off the edge of the cathedral, and swung to the side of Notre Dame.

Staring at Kikyo and Inuyasha on the stage, Inuyasha's voice getting weaker and raspier by the second, Jinenji began to run on the wall of Notre Dame, taking off to fly over the crowd still holding onto the rope. He landed onto the stage, and Naraku took a step back in shock. Kikyo was slumped over, unconscious, but Jinenji just pulled the ropes free from her and Inuyasha. Inuyasha staggered out of the fire, while Jinenji grabbed Kikyo and put her over his shoulder.

Inuyasha, noticing that guards are trying to get onto the stage, grabbed the stake that, just seconds ago he had been tied too, and ripped it out, the bottom part lit on fire. He swung it at the guards, making them fall back, before he dropped it to turn to Jinenji. Jinenji grabbed onto the rope, swinging back over the crowd. Inuyasha took a few steps back, only to run to the very edge of the platform to leap off, following Jinenji.

In his white clothing and flowing silver-white hair, Kagome could've sworn he was an angel. But Naraku wasn't concentrating on him - all the minister was concentrating on was Jinenji, and the woman in his arms.

"Jinenji!" he growled, unable to do anything as a part of him wondered what, exactly, the imbecile was doing.

Jinenji began to scale the edge of the cathedral, looking back occasionally to make sure that Inuyasha was okay. He reached the top of the building and went to stand in front of the giant stained glass window. Inuyasha quickly joined him, standing up to his full height to glare down at the crowd below him.

Jinenji paid no mind to him, only holding up Kikyo's unconscious body over his head as he yelled, "Sanctuary!"

And miraculously, the crowd responded. Not with boos or cries of outrage, but with _cheering_. And with each cry of Sanctuary, with Inuyasha's voice joining his to call it out, the crowd cheered more and more and _more._

Naraku, still on the crowd, was not pleased with the change of events. "Captain!" he snapped.

A soldier stepped up, his voice impassive as he said, "Sir?"

"Seize the cathedral!"

###

Jinenji carried Kikyo back to a healing room, putting her down gently. He turned back to look at Inuyasha hesitantly, but the dog half-demon only ran to kneel next to Kikyo and said to Jinenji, "She'll be safe here, I'll keep an eye on her."

Jinenji nodded gratefully and ran back out, jumping down to where they was a pot filled with lead. He grabbed one of the beams, and rushed to the edge of Notre Dame. He pushed it off towards the soldiers, and it conveniently landed right on top of Naraku's carriage.

Naraku snarled to himself as he watched the soldiers run around in a daze, and he ran up the steps of Notre Dame, grabbing a sword from a nearby guard. He turned to the guards guarding Kagome's birdcage, and ordered, "Pick up that beam! Break down the door!"

Soldiers began to rush forward to do just that, but Kagome saw her chance and took it. She grabbed the last guard around the neck, pulling him closer. "Alone at last," she purred in her sweetest voice, and then bonked up over the head with a fist. Her knuckles throbbed, but it was worth it when she managed to grab the keys from him before he fell.

The guards began to batter the Notre Dame door with the beam.

Kagome grabbed the spear of the fallen guard as soon as she got out, and began to climb to the top of her birdcage. Vowing internally to herself to destroy it once it was all over, she stood on top of it and lifted the spears above her head. With her wild raven hair and commanding grey eyes, she instantly got the attention of the crowd.

"Citizens of Paris! Naraku has persecuted our people, ransacked our city!" she yelled, and mentally smirking at the cries of anger coming from the crowd. "Now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself!" With her spear, she pointed to the cathedral. With the many lit torches and the blood red sky, the grey of Notre Dame looked menacing while demanding respect. She grabbed the spear with both hands and held it above her head as she shouted, "Will we allow it?!"

 _"No!"_ the crowd shouted back in unison, and they finally overcame the guards. Grabbing weapons, they broke the lock of the cages holding the Romani, and the Romani were handed weapons as they jumped out. They rushed to the guards, fighting every single one they saw. Kagome smiled and jumped off the birdcage, immediately punching a guard as soon as she landed on the ground.

Jinenji saw her do so, and all he did was smile in relief as he yelled out, "Kagome!"

Kagome looked up and waved, smiling as she did so. Looking around, she spotted the entrance that Naraku had conveniently forgotten that existed, just on the side of the cathedral. Looking around, she spotted a familiar white horse and beamed, whistling for him to come closer. Achilles (how did that horse always find his way back to her? It was like magic) galloped forward.

"Achilles, heel!" she called, and understanding her, he sat on a group of guards nearby. Smiling in relief, she continued to run towards the side-entrance, looking around before she entered the cathedral.

Jinenji didn't notice her entry, just pushing boulders off the edge of the Notre Dame and watching them hit the ladders the soldiers were using or just hurting them in general. The healer in him cried at the thought of injuring them, but when it came down to it, he'd make sure they were fine afterwards. Right now, keeping Kikyo and Inuyasha safe was the most important thing.

He pulled grappling hooks off to throw them back down, letting soldiers fall into the river. The citizens fought against the soldiers still on the ground. Jinenji's pretty sure he saw the small Shiori girl create a protective barrier around herself and some others to make all of the attacks bounce back to the ones who did them in the first place, but then again, he could've been imagining that.

And the soldiers kept battering against the door.

Jinenji threw off an abandoned catapult that was in the cathedral, wincing as he watched it explode and hit the soldiers. Not letting it distract him, he went back to the room with the lead pot in it, and pushed the pot over, letting the liquid in it - something that resembled liquid fire - fall down the cathedral via the gargoyles' mouthes.

And just as the beam broke through the Notre Dame door, the liquid fire poured down onto them. The soldiers escaped just barely, but Naraku was kept in the inside of it, and that was when all the sanity that he had left disappeared.

Crazed, Naraku hacked away an entrance for himself with his sword, pushing himself inside. He went to the staircase, in which Kaede was coming down from. She glared at him and approached him angrily.

"Naraku, have ye gone mad?" Kaede demanded. "I will not tolerate this assault on the house of God!" She approached him to grab him by the arm, but all Naraku did was shove her to ground. She gasped for air, sitting up weakly.

"Silence, you old hag!" Naraku snarled at her, his crazed red eyes matching his equally wild dark hair, which the edges of it were starting to sharpen like a spider's legs. "The half-breed and I have unfinished business to attend to - and this time, you will not interfere." He slammed the door shut, shoving a spear in between the bar handles to make it unable to open.

He began to rush up the stairs, only thinking about what he'd do to the half-demon once he got his hands on him - either half-demon would work - but most importantly, he imagined what would happen once both of them would be out of the way.

If they were gone, Kikyo was left unconscious with no one to protect her. And Naraku would be there, able to do whatever he pleased with her.

"I don't like that look on your face, Naraku."

Naraku stopped and looked to the side, and his eyes widened as seeing Kagome sitting on the edge of the cathedral, leaning against a pillar, twirling a sword casually between her hands.

"Then again," Kagome continued, jumping back to the corridor and pointing a sword at Naraku's face, "I never liked any of the looks that got on your face." And with that she swung her sword.

Naraku lifted his sword up to block it, growling. "I don't have time for you!" He fought against her, but Kagome proved that she deserved to have a rank as Captain as she skillfully fought back.

"This is for Kikyo!" Kagome swiped the sword, cutting a gash across Naraku's cheek. "This is for Inuyasha!" She swiped again, cutting across his forehead and letting blood trickle down into his eyes. "And this is for Jinenji!" She swung the sword, aiming for his chest, but with the way he moved she only managed to leave a long and deep cut across his forearm.

"I should've gotten rid of you when I had the chance!" Naraku threw his sword at her, and at dodging it, she lost her footing and was slipping towards the edge, barely catching herself against the pillar edge—

—before Naraku grabbed her tunic and pushed her, letting her tumble off of the cathedral.

Kagome barely had time to scream before she felt someone grab her around the waist, pulling her back into the cathedral. She saw the familiar gray tunic, and she let out a sigh of release, hugging her savior tightly. "Thank you, Jinenji," she whispered into his chest.

"I'm glad I was able to sniff you out before it was too late," he murmured back, pulling back and grabbing her shoulders. "Who pushed you off?"

Kagome took a deep breath to try to scramble her thoughts together to make something coherent. "Naraku. He-he got inside, and I managed to cut him, but he's absolutely crazed, Jinenji! He's going after Kikyo!"

Jinenji's eyes widened. "But Inuyasha's with her!"

The horror in Kagome's eyes matched Jinenji's own.

###

Inuyasha was not having a good day.

It was bad enough getting an arrow through the chest. It was bad enough getting the Court of Miracles found by the very person they had hiding from. It was bad enough nearly being burned to death with his adoptive sister next to him. And now he was expected to fight Naraku just to make sure he wasn't raping said-adoptive sister while she was unconscious?

If God was watching this, Inuyasha better fucking see Him helping the outcasts after this.

Thinking about it, though, the only nice thing about the day was Kagome. And that one kiss she gave him. And all of those hugs…

Shaking his head to clear it, Inuyasha pushed Naraku back, growling at him. Red was beginning to cloud his vision, and Naraku only fought back with his sword. Inuyasha had nothing but his claws, but he made good use of them - swiping at Naraku's arm, making the deep gash already there bleed _more_.

"Filthy half-breed!" Naraku yelled out in anger as he swiped his sword. All he did was nick his cheek, and Inuyasha only wiped at it, smirking.

" _Keh,_ right back atcha, hypocritical spider!" Inuyasha roared, slowly turning. In all of his rage, Naraku had all of his concentration on Inuyasha, so Inuyasha used that to his advantage. He backed away, leading Naraku as far away as possible from Kikyo. His heart was pounding with adrenaline - it was a nice feeling, before you remembered why you have in the first place.

"Inuyasha!" a voice cried, and Inuyasha lost his concentration, head snapping to the side to follow the voice.

"Kagome!" he yelled back, instinctively reaching for her. And this time, Naraku used Inuyasha's distraction for his advantage, and pushed him back.

Inuyasha went right over the edge.

"No!" both Jinenji and Kagome cried, and Kagome ran over to look over the edge. She searched for a speck of white _anywhere_ , and sighed in relief at seeing her beloved half-demon holding onto a gargoyle and pulling himself up and back into the cathedral - admittedly slowing. The fumes were clearly starting to take affect on him.

Jinenji roared with anger, rushing towards Naraku and knocking him to the ground, making the sword clatter to the ground. Naraku, snapping out of his crazed state for just a moment, raised his hands to try to calm down the angry half-demon. "Now, now, Jinenji, listen to me—"

"No, you listen!" Jinenji pointed a shaking finger at him, but for once he wasn't shaking in fear. He was shaking with pure, unbridled _anger_. "All my life you have told me the world is a dark, cruel place! But now, I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is are people like you!"

There was a groan from inside the bedroom, and three heads snapped towards the sound.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyo's voice was raspy, still half-unconscious. Kagome jumped over Naraku's body to help Kikyo up, reassuring her that Inuyasha was fine, he would be back real soon—

Naraku let out a snarl of anger and grabbed at the sword, trying to go towards Kagome and Kikyo, but Jinenji grabbed the blade with his bare hands. "Go!" he called to them, and as fast as they could Kagome helped Kikyo run through the corridors of the cathedral.

Naraku, his rage now focused on Jinenji, kept attacking him, with him sidestepping and going through the side of the cathedral to escape the blade. Kagome looked back and bit her lip, and exchanged looks with Kikyo. When Kikyo gave her a small nod, the Romani pulled her arm away from Kagome and began to run back to Jinenji, hiding in the shadows. Kagome followed her lead, her worried eyes on the gentle giant of a half-demon.

Jinenji stood on top of a pedestal holding a gargoyle, looking down at Naraku while breathing heavily. He was cornered, but he refused to give up. Not over this.

"I should have known you'd risk your life to save that gypsy witch!" Naraku growled, his hateful lust for Kikyo beginning to show in his eyes. "Just as your own mother died trying to save you."

Jinenji's eyes widened, whispering in shock, "What!?" All of his life, he had been told that his mother had abandoned him as a baby, not wanting him because of how ugly he was. And now he was being told that that was a lie? That his mother had been trying to save him all along?

"Now I'm going to do what I should have done twenty years ago!" Naraku swung his cape, covering Jinenji's head while he was still in shock. As Naraku tried to throw Jinenji off the pedestal to his death, the panicking Jinenji fell to the side, grabbing the cloak and pulling it down with one hand as the other grabbed a hold of one of the gargoyle heads. By pulling the cloak down, he had accidentally pulled Naraku over the edge as well.

Kagome and Kikyo both appeared leaning over the edge, and together the two women grabbed hold of Jinenji's large hand and fruitlessly tried to pull him up. But with Jinenji's weight and Naraku's added weight, they couldn't do it. It became marginally easier as time went on, but Kagome noticed why immediately - Naraku had thrown his cape around another gargoyle and pulled himself over to that one, letting go of Jinenji. Consequently, his sword was in perfect reach to cut off Kikyo's head.

"Kikyo, look out!" Kagome yelled, but Kikyo could only stare in fear at Naraku, refusing to let go of Jinenji's head.

"And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" Naraku's eyes were glowing as he said this, looking more like a full demon with every passing second, and was just about to bring his sword down.

The gargoyle, however, had other plans. The sides of it began to crack, and Naraku was thrown off balance, falling off. He quickly grabbed onto a the gargoyle's head, but when he looked up, the gargoyle seemed to come to life and roared. Naraku screamed as the gargoyle cracked even more, before falling off completely.

Naraku fell to his death into the liquid fire.

Kikyo wished she could've enjoyed Naraku's death a lot more than she was, but she had bigger things to worry about. Such as getting Jinenji up - the fumes were getting to him as well, and both she and Kagome were losing their grip on his hand. The sweat on their hands was probably not helping.

All too soon, Jinenji slipped from their grip. Kagome's eyes widened and she reached for him desperately, being held back by Kikyo. "No! Jinenji!" she cried, tears gathering in her eyes. Kikyo said nothing, but her eyes, too, looked glassy.

Jinenji continued to fall and fall and _fall_ and no one was there to save him, but he didn't deserve this, not sweet, kind Jinenji—

Arms covered in white cloth grabbed Jinenji around the waist, and puppy dog ears poked out of a wild mane of silver-white hair as Inuyasha pulled him back into the cathedral with a grunt.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome beamed in relief, and she grabbed Kikyo's hand, smiling. Kikyo's eyes widened and she, too, smiled as she let herself be dragged by Kagome down the steps, to go to where Inuyasha and Jinenji were.

Jinenji's head was slowly clearing, and he looked up to see a worried scowl on Inuyasha's face, before he let it slip to show a relieved smile. Jinenji returned the smile, and grabbed the smaller half-demon into a hug. Inuyasha let out a grunt, but pat his back reassuringly. Standing up to his full height, Inuyasha managed to peak over Jinenji's shoulders. His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps, and Kagome and Kikyo appeared at the archway, both smiling in relief.

Both Kagome's tunic and Kikyo's dress were torn, but neither seemed to care as they slowly approached the two half-demons. Jinenji pulled away from the hug, looking at them almost shyly, as if trying to apologize for not being able to have a grip on their hands. All of the sudden, both women burst into a run - Kagome to Jinenji to hug him tightly, and Kikyo to Inuyasha, holding him around the neck in reassurance.

Jinenji pulled away from Kagome's hug, smiling gently at her as he did so. Kikyo, catching how Jinenji was grabbing Kagome's hand and leading her to Inuyasha, let go of Inuyasha as well, only to grab his hand and give it to Jinenji. The giant half-demon smiled at her, before putting Inuyasha and Kagome's hands together.

Inuyasha didn't fully understand what Jinenji was trying to say until he saw the relief in Kagome's eyes as she looked at Jinenji gratefully. Then, it was as if his brain had turned on. _Oooooh…_

Well, at least he found about Jinenji's feelings for Kagome _after_ he accepted them. That made him feel better about it, at least.

Jinenji went to stand next to Kikyo, and they both smiled at each other before going to stare at Inuyasha and Kagome. The two of them were lost in each other's eyes, ignoring the world around them. It was as if they were alone - and that was confirmed when Kagome put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, while Inuyasha returned the kiss just as passionately, holding onto her tightly.

This kiss wasn't gentle and reassuring like the first one. This one had all of their worries for the other in them, all of the stress they had been suffering, and all of the relief they felt that they were okay. They were safe and (relatively) unharmed and _together._

Kikyo smirked - Inuyasha _definitely_ thought the two of them were alone, otherwise he would've never kissed Kagome like _that_ in front of them. She _so_ was going to hold this over his head for a _long_ time.

###

Kagome, one of hand in Inuyasha's in a tight grip, opened the door of Notre Dame, disregarding the giant hole at the side. She pulled Inuyasha out into the morning sun, whose free hand was holding Kikyo's hand. Kagome smiled at the crowd of Parisians and Romani, and without saying a word, she lifted her hand in Inuyasha's high in the air, and the crowd began to cheer. Inuyasha lifted Kikyo's hand in return, and smirked at her, his cheeks still a tint of red.

Kikyo didn't know what was better - the fact that PDA-hating Inuyasha had forgotten that there was other people in the corridor as he kissed Kagome, or his reaction when he remembered.

Just as the cheers died down, both Kikyo and Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hands and went back to lean into the door, offering a hand each to the half-demon waiting inside. Jinenji took their hands shyly, vividly remembering what had happened at the festival, but feeling brave at seeing the waiting Inuyasha with his reassuring smirk.

The crowd gasped softly at seeing him, and he looked around nervously. There was no disgust, only confusion and a bit of fear. Jinenji was debating whether or not to lock himself back into Notre Dame, no matter what Kagome or Inuyasha or Kikyo said, when a little white-haired girl made her way through the crowd.

The little half-demon Romani, Shiori, made her way up the steps of the Notre Dame, her eyes only on Jinenji. Jinenji flinched back when she reached him, staring at him curiously, but when all she did was put a hand out to stroke his face, he melted into her tiny little arms. Shiori smiled and pat his head, smoothing his hair down in a reassuring gesture.

Shiori pulled back with a smile, grabbing onto his hand and pulling him down the steps. The crowd parted slightly for him, but Miroku, who had somehow gotten to the top of a pole in the street and holding onto it yelled out, "Three cheers for Jinenji!"

The crowd cheered and began to pat Jinenji's back, talking about how brave he was or how sorry they were for mistreating him. A group of them managed to hold up him onto their shoulders, and Miroku jumped back down to the ground and picked up Shiori.

 _"So here is a riddle to guess if you can sing the bells of Notre Dame,"_ he sung softly to the girl. _"What makes a monster—"_ He put out a Naraku puppet and inched it towards Shiori, who only giggled and pushed it away. _"—and what makes a man?"_ They looked towards Jinenji, who was beaming for what was quite possibly the first time in his life.

 _"Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells…"_ the crowd began to sing, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulder and pulled her closer. Kikyo rolled her eyes at them and nudged shoulders with Kagome, and the two of them giggled. Inuyasha frowned at them, and they both tugged on his ears, one ear each.

 _"Whatever and which you can feel them bewitch you, the rich and the ritual Chants of the Bells of Notre Dame!"_

Jinenji looked back to Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kikyo, who all waved at him and smiled. Inuyasha even gave him a thumps-up in approval.

And somehow Jinenji knew that things were going to be alright.


End file.
